Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the top artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
A stern-looking statue of Monsieur Jacques (the
museum's mascot) greets you on the entry path. Once
inside, pick up the informative guidebooklet and drop
your bag at the mandator y bag check. Computers
near the entry let you tailor a self-guided tour to your
interests. Each work is labeled (but not described) in
English, and there is no audioguide.
There are two parts to the museum: the outside
sculpture garden and the interior art collection.
The
sculpture garden
shows off more than a
hundred sculptures, entertainingly displayed on 60
r of l l i n g a c r e s of f l a w n .
You can appreciate works
b y A u g u s t e R o d i n ,
Barbara Hepworth, Claes
Oldenburg, Christo, and
others—or just enjoy this
excuse for a walk in a pretty
park with something fun
to look at. Look for Jean
Dubuffet's beloved
Garden
of Enamel,
a giant, psyche-
delic, black-and-white roller rink you can climb around on. Since
the garden closes at 16:30, head here first if you're arriving later in
the day.
Inside, the permanent
art collection
is like a Who's Who of
modern art. The works are displayed
chronologically and grouped by
movement, in keeping with Helene
Kröller-Müller's wishes to foster
understanding and appreciation of
new art styles. You'll go from the
hazy landscapes of the Impressionists
(Monet, Manet, Renoir), to the intri-
cate compositions of the Pointillists
(Seurat, Pissarro), to the bold inno-
vations of the Post-Impressionists
(Gauguin, Van Gogh), to the slinky scenes of Art Nouveau
(Toulouse-Lautrec), to the shattered-glass canvases of the Cubists
(Picasso, Braque, and Gris), and to the colorful grids of Dutchman
Piet Mondrian.
The museum's highlight is its Vincent van Gogh collection, the
second-largest in the world (after Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum;
Kröller-Müller usually displays about 50 of their 87 Vincent can-
vases). Look for some famous pieces, including various self-portraits,
