Bolderwagen
Handcart
1918 (designed), 1968 (made)
1918 (designed), 1968 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Gerrit Thomas Rietveld (1888-1964) was an important member of the Dutch art movement known as De Stijl. The style was abstract and geometrical, composed of vertical and horizontal lines which owed much to the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright. Colour was restricted to red, blue, yellow, black and white.
Rietveld was an architect who also designed toys and furniture, initially for his own children, based on the simple straight lines of the De Stijl movement, and painted in primary colours. These pieces included a child's chair and cot, a sledge, a wheelbarrow, and a beach buggy which could be pulled like an early baby carriage.
This buggy, or bolderwagen, was made in 1923 and proved to be popular with Rietveld's friends. Unfortunately, none of the original series appears to have survived but copies were made to order in the 1960s by Rietveld's former assistant, Gerard Van de Groenekan. The colour scheme is reminiscent of the work of Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) who was also a member of the De Stijl movement.
Rietveld was an architect who also designed toys and furniture, initially for his own children, based on the simple straight lines of the De Stijl movement, and painted in primary colours. These pieces included a child's chair and cot, a sledge, a wheelbarrow, and a beach buggy which could be pulled like an early baby carriage.
This buggy, or bolderwagen, was made in 1923 and proved to be popular with Rietveld's friends. Unfortunately, none of the original series appears to have survived but copies were made to order in the 1960s by Rietveld's former assistant, Gerard Van de Groenekan. The colour scheme is reminiscent of the work of Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) who was also a member of the De Stijl movement.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Bolderwagen (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Wood, painted |
| Brief description | Bolderwagen, designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1918 and made by his original assistant Gerard Van de Groenekan in about 1968. |
| Physical description | Child's four-wheeled buggy, made from painted wood. The style is abstract and geometrical, composed of vertical and horizontal lines, and the colours used are red, blue, yellow, black and white. It is conveyed by means of a drawbar, which attaches to the front axle by two long uprights. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Gallery label | This buggy was designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld (1988-1964). He was a leading member of the Dutch art movement 'De Stijl'. The style was abstract and geometric, using vertical and horizontal lines. Colour was restricted to red, blue, yellow, black and white. Rietveld's designs include a child's chair and cot, a sledge, a wheelbarrow, and a beach buggy. Rietveld is believed to have made the beach buggy for his own children in 1923. His friends liked it so much that he made five more for them. The buggy is one of these. The design remains popular in Holland today. |
| Credit line | Given by Bernard Gay |
| Object history | The object, together with Circ.86-1975, was specially commissioned for a De Stijl exhibition held at the Hampstead Arts Centre organised by the object's donor, Bernard Gay (catalogue number 73) |
| Historical context | Rietveld designed toys and furniture, initially for his own children, based on the simple straight lines of the De Stijl movement, and painted in primary colours. These pieces included a child's chair and cot, a sledge, a wheelbarrow, and the baby buggy which could be pulled. The buggy was designed in 1918, but this one was made in about 1968 by Gerard van de Groenekan, who was an assistant to Rietvelt and a cabinet maker (and who made the originals). Bolderwagen is a generic term for a type of small hand-drawn cart. |
| Production | This is a copy of the buggy made for the original series of toys designed by the architect Gerrit Thomas Rietveld (1888-1964), who was a member of the Dutch art movement known as De Stijl (1917-1932). |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Gerrit Thomas Rietveld (1888-1964) was an important member of the Dutch art movement known as De Stijl. The style was abstract and geometrical, composed of vertical and horizontal lines which owed much to the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright. Colour was restricted to red, blue, yellow, black and white. Rietveld was an architect who also designed toys and furniture, initially for his own children, based on the simple straight lines of the De Stijl movement, and painted in primary colours. These pieces included a child's chair and cot, a sledge, a wheelbarrow, and a beach buggy which could be pulled like an early baby carriage. This buggy, or bolderwagen, was made in 1923 and proved to be popular with Rietveld's friends. Unfortunately, none of the original series appears to have survived but copies were made to order in the 1960s by Rietveld's former assistant, Gerard Van de Groenekan. The colour scheme is reminiscent of the work of Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) who was also a member of the De Stijl movement. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.85-1975 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | January 14, 2004 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
