PoCo Location Visit Rijksmuseum Twenthe

On 4th of May, the PoCo team paid a visit to the Rijksmuseum Twenthe. Valentijn As, junior curator of ancient art, gave an introduction to the museum and its collection. The group then viewed the collection both on display and in the depot. This provided excellent examples to illustrate Aleth Lorne’s teaching material: how formal language is linked to the ‘period eye’ – the spirit of the age. For example, the flowing forms found in German manuscripts are reflected in German sculptures from the same period. The second half of the day was spent examining sculptures in the depot.

The collection

The collection of the Rijksmuseum Twenthe was established by Jan Bernard van Heek, a wealthy textile manufacturer from Enschede. He wished to entrust his extensive art collection (mainly paintings) to a (national) museum. It was only after his death (1923) that his collection was acquired by the state, and the Rijksmuseum Twenthe was established. The collection comprised not only his art collection but also the collection of the Oudheidkamer Twente, which Van Heek had helped to establish. The first director was Jan Bernard’s son, Jan Herman van Heek, who further expanded the collection, mainly with medieval art: manuscripts, paintings and a few sculptures. The sculptures on display are being examined together with sculpture and polychromy expert Aleth Lorne.
The trainee conservators from the PoCo team then carried out further examination of a couple of sculptures from the depot. A statue of Saint Sebastian was selected because there are uncertainties regarding its polychromy, partly due to previous restoration work. They also examined a small statue of the Apostle’s head. The findings of the investigation will be set out in detail in a report for the museum.