Lot 105: Piet van Stuivenberg (Dutch, 1901-1988)

Zwarte zuil - Black Column
signed 'Piet' (along the reverse edge)
polished hardstone
52 cm. high
Executed in 1949

Rotterdam, Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Piet van Stuivenberg, 9 February-17 March 1968, cat.no. 25 (ill.).

WORKS BY PIET VAN STUIVENBERG FROM A PRIVATE DUTCH COLLECTION

The best characterization of the oeuvre of sculptor Piet van Stuivenberg is that is was produced with ultimate knowledge of materials and the will to keep on searching for the best suitable form for the material in question. Van Stuivenberg was always in control of the process and did not let the material take over. In short, he was the craftsman pur sang.

The styles and the forms he chose to work in underwent many changes through his career. Although his initial discipline was graphic design, his talents in sculpting were soon recognized on the Rotterdam Art Academy.
His early works from the twenties can be seen as examples of the Amsterdam School style, almost submissive to architecture. After that until the 1940ties, Van Stuivenberg worked in a deformed figurative expressionistic manner. This changed again after 1945 when his style becomes more abstract, inspired perhaps by artists like Carel Visser and Andri Volten, both members of the Liga Nieuw Beelden, together with Van Stuivenberg. After this series of geometric abstract works, he returned to the themes of the early 40ties, the abstraction of the human form, on which he would then concentrate for at least 20 years.

One can recognize Van Stuivenbergs power above all in the process of free carving of rough stone, without any preparation. He will, keeping the character of the material in tact, with very minor interventions, achieve a maximum of expression.
The present private collection of admirers of Piet van Stuivenberg is full of works with these surprising qualities.

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