Kröller-Müller, Hélène

Kröller-Müller, Hélène (1869–1939). Dutch collector and patron. She was born Hélène Müller, the daughter of a shipper, and married the businessman Anton Kröller in 1888. Originally she collected delftware, but after meeting the critic H. P. Bremmer (1871–1956) in 1906, she turned her attention to modern art from about 1870 onwards. Bremmer remained her adviser for the rest of her life. Both of them were ‘reticent and aloof personalities … Mrs Kröller lived a fairly secluded life, fully devoted to her cultural activities, which she saw as her lifework. She was in no way a society celebrity. Bremmer, himself a painter of some merit and a friend of many of the Dutch artists of his generation … always kept his distance’ (catalogue of the Arts Council exhibition ‘Drawings from the KröllerMüller National Museum, Otterlo', London and Newcastle, 1974). The heart of her collection is a superb representation of paintings and drawings by van Gogh. ‘Around it she arranged a survey of modern art as she saw it in reference to her own time and opinions … The very personal character of the collection is marked by her preference for the harmonious, the classical, and the spiritual in art … [but] she did not want to surround herself with rare and beautiful objects for purely personal reasons … [She] saw it as a privilege to be able to do this, a privilege she wished to share with others … her choices … always showed a strong educational motivation.’

The Dutch government built a museum at Otterlo to house the collection in return for its bequest to the nation; designed by Henry van de Velde, the museum—officially known as the Rijksmuseum Kröller-Müller—opened to the public in 1938, although it was not finished until 1954. It is regarded as one of the finest pieces of museum architecture of the 20th century and is attractively set in wooded country. Mrs Kröller acted as director until her death. Apart from van Gogh, the Dutch artists in whose work it is strong include Bart van der Leck (who received regular financial support from the founder), Mondrian (up to about 1920—Mrs Kröller did not care for pure abstract art), and the Symbolists Thorn Prikker and Jan Toorop. Otherwise, French art is best represented, especially Cubism. There are also examples of non-Western art. Acquisitions have been made since the founder's death; in particular, a sculpture garden was created in the 1960s, featuring work by Hepworth, Maillol, Moore, Rodin, and other eminent artists.