Image

Constant Nieuwenhuys-Rode wolk, 1971

Photographer

Tom Haartsen

Rode wolk

1971
New Babylon
39,0cm
x 51,0cm
paper
watercolour
Collection Fondation Constant, NL

CID

221

    English title

    Red Cloud

    Alternate titles

    Rode wolk
    1971 Archive entry

    Signed/dated

    Signed and dated Constant '71, bottom right below the horizon in ink

    Provenance

    1971 Constant
    2005 Trudy Nieuwenhuys-van der Horst
    2012 Collection Fondation Constant, NL
    Tags
    Black
    Green
    Landscape
    Orange
    Purple

    Frame dimensions

    63 x 74,5 x 3 cm

    Image

    Constant Nieuwenhuys-Le concert champêtre, 1995

    Photographer

    Tom Haartsen

    Le concert champêtre

    1995
    Late period
    42,0cm
    x 56,7cm
    paper
    watercolour
    Collection De Heus-Zomer, NL

    CID

    208

    The fête champêtre, translating to ‘pastoral festival’ or ‘country feast,’ refers to a garden party, popular at the French court in the 18th century. It became the subject of a genre of paintings by the same name, that shows well-dressed individuals enjoying refreshments and entertainment in a pastoral landscape.

    These paintings were sometimes also called ‘fête galante’ when depicting a graceful, usually aristocratic scene or ‘concert champêtre’ when depicting a musical scene, such as in Constant’s watercolour. Though Antoine Watteau (1684-1721) is often considered the inventor of the genre, Titian’s (attributed) Le Concert Champêtre, is often regarded as an early predecessor.

      English title

      Country Concert

      Signed/dated

      Signed and dated Constant '95, bottom right in green watercolor. Titled "Le concert champêtre", bottom right in green pencil

      Provenance

      1995 Constant
      1996 De Heus-Zomer, NL (Galerie Collection d'Art)
      Tags
      Animal
      Art
      Black
      Blue
      Brown
      Goat
      Green
      Grey
      Guitar
      Music
      Orange
      People
      Purple
      Red
      Yellow

      Frame dimensions

      65,7 x 80,8 x 3,5 cm

      Image

      Constant Nieuwenhuys-Homo Ludens, 1964

      Photographer

      Tom Haartsen

      Homo ludens

      1964
      New Babylon
      158,8cm
      x 183,9cm
      linen
      oil paint
      Collection Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, NL

      CID

      37

      After reading Johan Huizinga's book Homo Ludens (Man at Play) of Johan Huizinga Constant develops his ideas for New Babylon the futuristic city for the creative man at play.

        English title

        Playing Man

        Alternate titles

        Homo ludens
        1964 Archive entry

        Signed/dated

        Dated and signed '64 Constant, bottom left from center in green paint. Titled Homo Ludens, bottom right in orange paint

        Provenance

        1964 Constant
        Collection Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, NL
        Tags
        Black
        Green
        Man
        Orange
        People
        Plant
        Purple
        Red
        White
        Yellow

        Frame dimensions

        Unknown

        Image

        Constant Nieuwenhuys-Les Baigneurs, 2002

        Photographer

        Tom Haartsen

        Les baigneurs

        2002
        Late period
        163,0cm
        x 170,0cm
        linen
        oil paint
        Collection Fondation Constant longterm loan to Kunstmuseum Den Haag, NL

        CID

        13

        the inspiration for this painting originates in October 2000 while visiting the Picasso Museum in Antibe, south of France, in preparation for his retrospective the following year. The Picasso Museum, located in former Château Grimaldi, looks out over the spectacular bay of Antibes. Constant is fascinated by the Mediterranean light and when he returns home he is inspired to start a new painting. He abandons his earthly hues for a bright sea blue palette.

        In some of his paintings Constant places a figure resembling himself in the scene. But, not a swimmer himself, he is absent in this scene portraying the swimmers as if he is observing them from a distance.

          English title

          Bathers

          Alternate titles

          De baders
          2008

          Signed/dated

          Signed and dated Constant 2001-02, bottom right from center in blue paint

          Provenance

          2002 Constant
          2005 Collection Fondation Constant
          Tags
          Blue
          People
          Play
          Purple
          Water

          Frame dimensions

          184 x 190,5 x 9 cm