Willink van Collenprijs

Willink van Collenprijs (''engl.'' The Willink van Collen Award)

Background

The "Second Golden Age of Dutch painting" was enriched by a special feature. There was a patronage of the arts community. This can also be seen in the context of the Hague School.

The Amsterdam-born painter Wilhem Ferdinand Willink van Collen (1847-1881) an his wife Anna von Bosse were great art lovers. After his death he bequeathed a sum of 30.000 Gulden (Florins) to the society Arti et Amiticitae. There should be a fund be set up. The aim was to support the income from out young artists during their difficult initial phase. [1][2] This also happend before the background of the the painter's schools like Dusseldorf painter's School[a], Copenhagen School[b], the Munich School[c], Academy of Beaux-Arts to Paris, Accademia di Belle Arti di Firence[d] as well as the School of Barbizon[e] and the new French Impressionism[f] to give a chance to the Dutch young generation, too.

The annual art exhibition of the the Paris Salon was the most important event, too. It was the centre of the painters of Europe and it was very difficult to be allowed to exhibite there. Five prices lent here were desired very much. It concerned two gold medals (medals of the 1st class) and three silver medals (medals of the 2nd class). Moreover ""Recognitions" and the "Honorable Mention" were pronounced. - All this needed an answer in the Netherlands!

Now the board of Directors of the Association “Arti et Amiticitae” decided to hold an annual "Painting Competition" for all Dutch artists. They must have their resided in the Kingdom and not jet reached the age 30 years.[3] Later, the age limit was raised to 35 years. The paintings were handed over unsigned. They were evaluated by the jury anonymously. There was a first place. The second place was a bonus and the third one a commondation - it was like the prizes of the Paris Salon. There were not always occupied all places. This approach was maintaind until 1893. The jury had to deal with a problem of e special kind. The standard of entries was quiet staggering. In 1891 it was decided to select a difficult tropic for this contest to deter painter with inadequate training.

The following year, the jury decided to award no 1st place. The reason was: It was felt that "no sufficient artistic value" was presented in the submitted works.

No award and its consequences

In 1893 a competition to design a mural in an art building was announced. It received seven works. They disappointed the jury. For the first time in the history of this award neither the price was awarded nor the commendation was pronounced. In 1894 the executive board differently decided to proceed. First of all they decided to buy the paintimg “The Snow” by George Hendrik Breitner, then to finance a study trip for three students of the Rijksacademie of Amsterdam during the Easter holydays and at last to pay a small scholarship for Dutsch artists, living in London.

This politics of the Society “Arti et Amiticitae” led in public and with the painters to nuisage. This must be seen before the background because this Willink van Collenprijs had become a national institution.

Meanwhile twentynine artists signed a common petition. This included such famous names like Hendrik Willem Mesdag, the brothers Jacob Maris and Willem Maris, Paul Gabriël and Louis Apol. Explained aim was to protest against this practise. On this huge pressure a competition was organized in 1896 again. According to the new rules there was only one winner and there were no other places. During the years 1897, 1906 and 1910 the first place was awarded several times.

Because of the political events he could not be written out consecutively. After a time of 71 Jears he was awarded for the last time in 1950.

Some Themes

Selected tropics were expressed

List of Winners

Winners 1880-1893

Winners from 1896-1950

References

  1. ↑ Maatschappij‚ Arti et Amicitiae Fonds Willink van Collen.] In: Algemeen Handelsblad vom 2. August 1880.
  2. ↑ 13e Wedstrijd, uitgeschreven door het bestuur van het fonds ‚Willink van Collen‘. In: Het nieuws van den dag vom 21. Dezember 1891
  3. ↑ R. Zeitler: Die Kunst des 19. Jahrhunderts. Berlin 1966 (Propyläen Kunstgeschichte , Bd. 3)
  4. ↑ J. Knoef: Van Romantiek tot Realisme. Een bundel kunsthistorische opstellen. Den Haag 1947.

Notes

Bibliography

Weblinks

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