Beauty of the Beast – Animals in Art Nouveau

Depicting animals had a surprisingly large role around 1900. Artists develop a new style and let themselves be endlessly inspired by the animal kingdom in their search for beauty. This inspiration can be seen in a wide collection of works from this period of time, ranging from a room divider with peacocks to a brass vase with bullheads on it. 

Discover the wonderful world of animals

Ceramics and furniture get decorated with sea animals, birds and insects. Their colors and patterns are incorporated in textile and graphic art. The rise of zoos around this time gave artists the possibility to discover and study lesser known animals from all around the world.

The exhibition Beauty of the Beast - Animals in art nouveau brings you into a wonderous animal kingdom with a monkey rock, a reptile enclosure and a bird garden. Discover animals with a multitude of colors and shapes, find the unmissable or hidden animals, and admite the craftsmanship of these special objects.

Masterpieces from our collection around 1900

The exhibition is compiled from the rich collection of art from around 1900 of the Drents Museum in Assen. Masterpieces that cannot be missed are a vase and dish made by Johanna van Eijbergen, a fire screen and needlework made by Christine van Zeegen, several works from Chris Lebeau and a room divider made by Jacob van den Bosch.

Jaap Veldheer (1866-1954)
Roofvis, 1910-1920, ink on paper, 30 x 39,8 cm, Drents Museum