Germaine Richier

Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, Vieira da Silva - Germaine Richier, 1955, no. 42, illustrated
Almelo, Kunstkring de Waag, Van Daumier tot Picasso, Twents particulier bezit, 1956, no. 119, illustrated as no. 73
Haarlem, Vishal Haarlem, Facetten der Hedendaagse kunst uit drie Nederlandse Verzamlingen, 1956, no. 13
Paris, Musée International d'Art Moderne, Germaine Richier, 1956, no. 16, illustrated as no. XIV
Rotterdam, Rotterdamsche Kunstkring, Germaine Richier bronzen en grafiek, 1959
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, 50 Jaar Verkenningen in de Beeldende Kunst, 1959, no. 132, illustrated
Arnhem, Gemeentemuseum; Haarlem, Frans Hals Museum, oog in oog met hans en alice de jong, 1970, no. 3, illustrated
Lyngby, Sophienholm, International Billedkunst, Alice og Hans de Jong's Samling, 1971, no. 76

Beginning in the early 1950s, Hans and Alice de Jong built a collection in order to “enrich their lives by the creativity of art.”  They befriended the artists whose work they acquired, inviting them to their homes and focusing on finding paintings, drawings and sculpture that carried the “fullness and warmth of life.”  The end result is a uniquely personal collection, each piece telling a distinct story and most purchased directly from the artists.

After the Second World War, the de Jongs traveled extensively throughout Europe and the United States for business as well as to satisfy a craving to fill a void left by the war.  Travelling frequently to Paris, Alice met many artists including Vieira da Silva, Germaine Richier, Matta and Asger Jorn.  Hans’s travels were concentrated mainly in New York, due to business concerns, where he met Franz Kline, Rothko, Gottleib and Willem de Kooning. 

In 1955, Hans and Alice met Germaine Richier at an opening of her joint exhibition with Vieira da Silva at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. There, they purchased their first sculpture, L’Ogre (Lot 142) from the series 'L’Homme de Fôret'. Soon after they acquired a larger work Le Grain (Lot 147).

It was also whilst visiting the Stedelijk Museum that the de Jongs met Alan Davie and his wife and their young daughter. They were invited to come to Hereford in England to visit Davie’s studio, which Hans did in 1960. He was offered tea and given a grand tour of the house which was an Alan Davie in itself being entirely painted in the colors and style of the artist. Davie showed him some works from his own personal collection, many of which had never been exhibited before, and from these Hans purchased Monk's Vision (Lot 152).

In 1964 there was an exhibition of Antonio Saura’s work at the Stedelijk Museum. Hans and Alice were enthralled by the show and sought to enrich their collection by purchasing one of his works. After the show they learned that two of the drawings were infact available and they purchased them immediately. They were Sauromachine and Le Grand Dame (Lots 151 & 148), and they purchased another work by the artist Crucification (Lot 150) the following year.

The above stories establish a sense of intimacy which is immediately discernible when viewing the works of the de Jong collection.  A visitor to their homes in Hengelo, the Netherlands or Ascona, Switzerland would immediately be impressed by the refined pair of eyes that carefully chose each piece in this remarkable group. Sotheby’s is extremely proud to offer the following works from the Collection of Alice and Hans de Jong.