Hildebrand Lucien (Hildo) Krop (February 26, 1884, Steenwijk, Overijssel - August 20, 1970) was a prolific Dutch sculptor and furniture designer, widely known as the city sculptor of Amsterdam, where his work is well-represented.
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Krop was a baker's son. Unwilling to work with an older brother, he set off on his own. In Leiden, he took modeling classes to make marzipan figures. He also worked in France and Italy and as a pastry cook.[1]
By 1906, Krop was in England, employed by a couple as a cook. He discovered his talent as a draftsman and attended summer school in art. Back in the Netherlands, he decided to become an artist and went to Paris, where studied at the Académie Julian. In 1908, he studied at the State Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam. From sculptor John Rädecker he learned stone carving. In 1910, he taught at a high school in Haarlem. In 1911-1912, he studied in Berlin and then traveled from Rome to Paris, where he joined Dutch painter Jacob Bendien. He befriended Ossip Zadkine, who taught him sculpture and direct carving. At the end of 1912, he returned to Amsterdam.[2]
After several small jobs, Krop worked with Joop van Lunteren and Anton Rädecker as an assistant in the studio of Hendrik van den Eijnde, 1913 - 1916. In 1916, he became a staff member of the Amsterdam Department of Public Works. He created two groups of dockworkers in granite for a 1916 Public Works project. His work appears integrated with many civic buildings and bridges of the time. For instance, he designed exterior figures on the Scheepvaarthuis by Amsterdam School architects Johan van der Mey, Piet Kramer and Michel de Klerk are his. After this building, Krop received appointment as city sculptor.[2]
He was responsible for sculptures on many bridges and houses in Amsterdam. The include the Berlage monument on Victory Square and the plaque at the monument on the Dike. At the Nassau Square in The Hague is his war memorial. The beautiful art nouveau villa Rams Woerth in Steenwijk has rooms that feature a varied collection of his work. Hildo Krop also designed furniture, ceramics (ESKAF), glass (Leerdam) and ironworks.[2]
Krop was active through 1967. He was buried on Zorgvlied.[2]
Krop spent much of his life among communist circles. In 1921, he designed the cover for H. Roland Holst's book Soviet Russia. In 1931, he made a bust of Lenin. In 1932, he traveled to the Soviet Union and stayed three months.[1]
Krop also cooperated with Soviet intelligence agents. His first spymaster was Max Friedman. Through him, he came to know "Ludwik" (Ignace Reiss). In June 1937, he drew a study of Reiss on the back of a menu for a later bust.[1]
Krop was the son of Henry Krop, baker, and Johanna Louisa Cordes. He had two brothers and four sisters.[1]
Krop married Frederika Willemnia ("Mien") Sleef on December 24, 1914. They had two children, a daughter and a son. A third child (son) died young. His father-in-law was the daughter of a prominent member of the Dutch socialist party. Through this family connection, Krop came into contact with left organizations and thought.[1]
Afsluitdijk: Reliëf aan het Monument Afsluitdijk, 1940
Amersfoort: Reliëfs (1917–1938) en kopieën in 1957 (kalkzandsteen) van het oorspronkelijke beeldhouwwerk (beton) van François Gos en Firmin de Smet, Belgenmonument (Amersfoort) op de Amersfoortse Berg
Antwerp: Drang naar het leven, Beeldenpark Openluchtmuseum voor beeldhouwkunst Middelheim, Antwerpen 1949-51
Breda: Tegeltableaus op het voormalig Gerechtsgebouw Breda in Breda Centrum
Delfzijl: Ontmoeting tussen water en land, sluizen Eemskanaal
Gouda: Buste Erasmus (1950), herplaatst bij St.Janskerk
Kampen: Oorlogsmonument (1949), De La Sablonièrekade
