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JOHN RÄDECKER (1855-1956) "Rädecker is not at all impressed by the progress of time. He simply goes on with what he is doing, and he does nothing if he thinks that the time is not ripe for it. Waiting, saving it up, for his part waiting a long time if he has to, because waiting is no stagnation. This monotony of the theme, the never-ending nostalgia for the devotion of the unconscious, repeatedly alternated by and related to a healthy realism, makes him known to us as a romantic, who chooses realism as his opponent, not for ever, but to satisfy his temporary form-passion. [...] In the figure of the woman he makes us become aware of the old Pre-Indian sculpture, rhythmic curves, voluptuous in the broadest sense of the word, latent, slowly moving up and down, never provocative and violent though, which is from the North. Following the plan of these voluptuous creations of femininity, he subsequently comes to more inward and clear kinds of creations of the woman, and of those male-female creatures, which lead us right back to paradise" (A.M. Hammacher, De beeldhouwer John Rädecker, Amsterdam/Antwerpen 1940, p. 34) The following collection of works by John Rädecker gives a wonderful artistic impression of one of the most important Dutch sculptors of the first half of this century. His importance for Dutch sculpture in general is not only stressed by today's arthistorians, but was already spotted by his contemporaries, as can be witnessed by the three monographies on his work that were published before 1940 only. According to many critics John Rädecker was born a natural sculptor: the incarnation of an archetype sculptor. He was born in 1885 in Amsterdam in a family of six children, the son of a wood-carver modelleur. At the age of thirteen already he started working for furniture factories and stone-masons, following his father. For a short time he assisted Joseph Mendes da Costa in his studio, an artist he admired greatly. Then, at the age of seventeen, Rädecker decided to choose for fine arts as opposed to spending his life as an artisan working for others. He attended some classes at the Rijksacademie in Amsterdam under the guidance of Bart van Hove, and at the Academy of Antwerp. He stayed in Paris several times to study, together with his artist friends Jacob Bendien (1890-1933) and Jan van Deene (1886-1973). As so many Dutch sculptors in this period, life was not very easy seen from a financial standpoint. Fortunately Rädecker was admired and supported by two of the most influencial art-critics of his time: H.P. Bremmer and A.M. Hammacher. Especially Bremmer acted as an art-manager avant la lettre, publishing articles, looking for sponsors and selling his work (for instance to Mrs. H. Kröller-Müller). Rädecker executed his works in all possible materials, like stone, wood and clay, mainly focussing on his two favorite subjects: nudes and (mask)portraits. His nudes are the expression of a closed, inner symbolism, surrounded by a certain vegetated indolence. Their frame of mind is indeterminate and they seem to exist only for themselves. They give expression to a reality behind reality. In the Thirties he started working with models, resulting in somewhat livelier sculptures. His masks, mainly in stone, are constructed with broad lips, closed eyes lying deep, placed far from each other. They are at the same time threatening and protecting. Again they can be regarded as expressions of a reality behind reality. Although it is known that Rädecker was unfluenced by primitive arts like African, Egyptian and Asian forms, he is commonly regarded as an artist with an truely own, self developed style. THE PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE DUTCH COLLECTOR

John Rädecker (1885-1956)

Johannes de Doper - John the Baptist

Details

John Rädecker (1885-1956)
Johannes de Doper - John the Baptist
signed with initials 'J.R.' (on the base)
bronze with black patine
48 cm. high (incl. base)
Conceived circa 1923-1925 in wood, cast in the early 1930's in an edition of circa two.

Provenance

Kunsthandel Huinck en Scherjon, Amsterdam, where acquired by the present owners

Literature

J.D. Voskuil in: Maandblad voor Beeldende Kunsten, 2 (1925), p. 45 (the wooden version illus.)
H.P. Bremmer, John Rädecker, de beeldhouwer en zijn werk, Amsterdam 1926, no. XIII (the wooden version illus.)
A.M. Hammacher, John Rädecker, Amsterdam/Antwerp 1940, p. 32 and p. 67 (the wooden version illus.)
H. Redeker in: Forum, Vol. XII (1957), p. 89-96
H.P.L. Wiessing, Bewegend portret. Levensherinneringen, Amsterdam 1960, no. 2 (the wooden version illus.).

Exhibited

Amsterdam, Kunsthandel Huinck en Scherjon, John Rädecker, 8 February - 12 March 1933, cat.no. 3 (the wooden version)
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, title unknown, 26 June - 12 September 1937, no. 90 (another cast illus.)
The Hague, Haags Gemeentemuseum, title unknow, 29 June - 4 September 1951, cat.no. 165 (the wooden version)
Brussels/Liege, Nederlandse Beeldhouwkunst, 1952, cat.no. 117 (the wooden version)
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, John Rädecker (1885-1956), May - June 1956, cat.no. 14 (the wooden version)
Amsterdam, Rijksacademie van Beeldende Kunsten, John Rädecker, overzichtstentoonstelling, 11 November - 10 December 1966, cat.no. 21 (the wooden version illus.)
Haarlem, Teylers Museum, John Rädecker (1885-1956) Beeldhouwwerken, schilderijen en tekeningen., 8 September - 18 November 1985, cat.no. 15 (the wooden version illus.)

Special notice

Christie's charges a Buyer's premium calculated at 23.205% of the hammer price for each lot with a value up to €110,000. If the hammer price of a lot exceeds €110,000 then the premium for the lot is calculated at 23.205% of the first €110,000 plus 11.9% of any amount in excess of €110,000. Buyer's Premium is calculated on this basis for each lot individually.

Sale room notice

Please note that the entry should read: and with foundry mark 'Bronsgieterij De Plastiek Bloemendaal' (on the base)

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