Evening star., 1935-12-14
NETHERLANDSART
INCLINATION KEEN
The Hague and Rotterdam
Especial Centers of Fine
Collections.
BY JAMES WALDO FAwCETTE.

No people In the world have a
keener appreciation of art than the
people of The Netherlands, and their
enthusiasm for painting and sculp-
ture, fine pottery and glass vecently
has been manifested in the erection of
two great gallerieS-one in The Hague
and the other in Rotterdam.
The former city already had sew
eral buildings exclusively used for
the display of pictures. Its Maurit-
shuts is famous for canvases by Rem
brandt. Vermeer, Ruisdael, Rubens,
Van Dyck, Holbein, Frans Halls and
Jan Steen, and its Municipal Museum
of Ancient Art, Orange Nassau Mu-
scum, Bredius Museum, Mesdag Mu-
scum and Scheurleer Museum also are
celebrated for their respective treas
ures.
But The Hague has not been con-
tent merely to preserve The genius OF
the past. Rather, the municipal au-
thorities and the community at large
have recognized a responsibility to-
ward living artists and, to shelter eX-
amples of their talent, have created
an entirely new establiShment-the
so-called Municipal Museum of Mod
ern Art in Stadhouderslaan, COM
pleted and opened during the last
Summer.
Designer Pioneer.
The edifice was designed by DR.. H.
P. Berlage, an eminent pioneer of the
current phase of Dutch architecture
Unfortunately, he died, aged rs, before
he had the privilege of seeing the
structure finished. But no man could
have a more strikingly interesting
monument It is, indeed, a memor-
able composition. Pieter Geyl says OF
it: The outside aspect of the museum,
most effective with its yellow brick and
its pergola leading to the main en-
trance, between two large square
ponds. makes no concessions. A num-
ber of straight squares and roofs at
different levels correspond with the
various uses which the interior is to
serve.
Several lecture rooms are 1ncorp-
Grated, and a large hall which the
municipal dOG11OLAI1CS bSC GO q ANSSP
ton hall on festive occasions. That
hall and the balcony floor to which
two staircases on either side lead out
of it are a mastery achievement with
their daring color scheme OF bright
yellow. red and blue. " q"
"Berlage's creation is strong and
assertive, lucid and bright"
Perhaps the new gallery might be
summarized as a frame of charac-
ter appropriate for the exhibition of
contemporary arts and crafts-it has
the vigorous lines, the bold coloring
and the mathematical rhythm OF
twentieth century Dutch esthetic en-
terprise.
Structure of Great Space.
The building is large. Doubtless,
the city fathers had regard for the
future in providing for its capacious-
ness. But be the explanation what
1t may, the structure gives an i'm
preston of illimitable acreage. One
corridor leads into another, one
exhibit hall follows another, in a
labyrinthine sequence which appears
to have no end. Yet there is no
f1onotony about it all. Instead, there
are innumerable surprises for the OBJ
servant visitor-snall rooms to accom-
inodate a single group Of related pic
lures; cases of glass sunk into interior
walls to shelter ceramics, little bronzes,
Jade and ivory carvings; sudden but
convenient stairs from one floor to
another; benches with velvet cushions
in corners devised for rest; curious
tile and metal decorations and orna-
ments set into plaster for the enter
tainment of casual eyes; unobtrusive
furnishings suited to their environ
nent as parts of a background which
in itself is not nearly so NOISY as
Mr.. Geyl, unintentionally, may have
suggested.
Altogether, then, the museum is
something of a paradox. 1t is at
once uncompromising and intriguing,
assertive and quiet. Possibly, it re-
fleets an active psychology of grati-
tude. 1t says THANK you" to the
artists for whom it was built.
And those artists, 1t may be men,
toned parethetically, are somewhat
more conservative than the "primi-
tives" to house whose products the
new Rotterdam museum has been pro-
vided. The latter structure, however,
has been described by Mr.. Geyl as
Simple and charming, light and
graceful" 1t was designed by A. van
der Steur, municipal architect, and
D. Hannema, director, who together
approached their task by way Of a
tour of no less than 80 existing gal
leries in Europe.
Tower and Gardens.
'The main part is planned in square
form enclosing a court, with two wings
forming second court, the whole,
in red brick, being dominated by a
tower and set in extensive gardens
with ponds. Inside, the prevailing
color is white. The walls and CELL
ings are all white, with low paneling
In light oak varied with light brown
stone. Against that background the
works Of art retain their full value;
there is no decoration of any kind
which might distract the attention
from them. There are. on the other
hand. at all turns lovely views result
ing quite naturally from the archi-
lecture and generally ending in some
outstanding picture or piece Of sculp-
ture. From the moment the visitor
enters the beautiful hall he is gently
led on, through rooms at gradually
ascending levels, to make the circuit
nf the rictl1ra gallery on the first