The painting Apollo by the German expressionist artist Max Beckmann is given a place in the Boijmans Van Beuningen collection, partly thanks to the Rembrandt Association. The work was acquired and partly donated by the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust, which previously donated 20 works.
Apollo (1942) is the second painting by Max Beckmann (1884-1950) in the collection of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, together with 28 drawings, the Day and Dream print portfolio from 1946 and seven other graphic works by Beckmann. Partly thanks to the Rembrandt Association, the oil painting will be visible to the public from autumn 2021 in the acquisition display case of Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen and from the opening of the museum it will be included in the permanent collection display. The contradictions in the work – painted during the war years in Amsterdam – represent reason that has to overcome madness. Apollo contains the characteristic symbolic connotations of Beckmann’s famous triptychs, and is an enigmatic and haunting painting, showing how the artist reflected on the world around him.
Sjarel Ex, director of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen said, “Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is proud of the art-historical research that underpins the discovery of this enigmatic painting from Beckmann’s Dutch era and is very grateful to the Rembrandt Association and the MBVB Foundation, for the financial help in acquiring it. ”
