News

Exhibition in the Bibliotheca Wittockiana

From 6 October 2011 through January 2012 more than sixty books from the Koopman Collection will be on show at the Bibliotheca Wittockiana. The exhibition 'Voix et Visions. L'Art du Livre français et la Bibliothèque nationale des Pays-Bas' ('Voices and visions. The Art of the French Book in the National Library of the Netherlands') is organized with the support of the Foundation Anny Antoine/Louis Koopman.

On 6 October 2011 the exhibition was opened by the Dutch ambassador in Belgium, mister Henne Schuwer. Introductions were given by the director of the Bibliotheca Wittockiana, Michel Wittock, and by the curator of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, Paul van Capelleveen. The exhibition has been designed by Rob Blok (B-complex) and Huug Schipper (Studio Tint), with photographs by Jos Uljee (KB). The book about the Koopman Collection, Voix et visions (English edition: Voices and visions) serves as a catalogue.

Events in Brussels

12 November, afternoon, at 14.30: presentation by François Da Ros (printer) and Martine Rassineux (artist) in the Bibliotheca Wittockiana.
24 November, evening, at 18.30: presentation by Didier Mutel (book artist) in the Bibliotheca Wittockiana.
For reservation contact: Patricia Godin (pgodin@wittockiana.org).

New book presentations online

On 1 January 2010 more than 30 new book presentations became available for reference on the website of the Koopman Collection. They offer images and background information on artists' books that will guide a wide audience and artists' book lovers to their famous and esteemed creators: the artists (Denis, Matisse, Foujita, Degas, Man Ray, Léger, Tàpies) printers/publishers (Bernouard, F.-L. Schmied, Vollard, Tallone) and authors (Gide, Reverdy, Cocteau, Éluard, Valéry, Du Bouchet, Jabès). Approximately ten book presentations are (partially) devoted to Dadaism/Surrealism (Masson, Hugnet, Soupault, Ribbemont-Dessaignes), Lettrism and typography. We also give attention to 30 contemporary printers, artists and authors from after 1990, such as Da Ros, Vielle et Déon. On the occasion of the publication of the book about the Koopman Collection Voices and visions. The Koopman Collection and the Art of the French Book (2009), the bibliographical descriptions of more than 80 book presentations were updated. Click on the links above to explore them quickly or consult them at leisure through the chronological index or the alphabetical index!

Exhibition at Auxerre

From 11 July to 21 September 2009 more than 60 books from the Koopman Collection were on show at the museum of Auxerre: from Jean Lorrain to André Du Bouchet, from Man Ray, Bram van Velde and Kees van Dongen to Martine Rassineux and Jean Capdeville. The exhibition (with texts in English and French) 'La Collection Koopman et l'Art du Livre français' was organized at the Musée-Abbaye Saint-Germain, 2bis, Place Saint-Germain, 89000 Auxerre.

Voices and visions: a publication on the Koopman Collection

On 4 March 2009 a publication, devoted to the Koopman Collection, was published. The French edition, Voix et visions. La Collection Koopman et l'Art du Livre français, was presented at the Institut Néerlandais in Paris. Four lectures were given by Paul van Capelleveen, curator of the Koopman Collection, Jacques Quentin, antiquarian book dealer from Geneva, Michel-Ange Seretti, dealer in modern books in Paris and Martin Bossenbroek, director Collections and Services of the National Library of the Netherlands. Martin Bossenbroek presented the first copy of Voix et visions to Hugo Siblesz, the Dutch ambassador in Paris. Also published is an English edition: Voices and Visions. The Koopman Collection and the Art of the French Book. The book has been written by Paul van Capelleveen, Sophie Ham and Jordy Joubij, with contributions by Noortje Brul, Maggy Wishaupt, and others, and with photographs by Jos Uljee. Editors were Clemens de Wolf and Paul van Capelleveen. The book was published by the Koninklijke Bibliotheek and Waanders Publishers.

A special acquisition: colour wood engravings by André Derain

In 2009 the Koninklijke Bibliotheek acquired a unique copy of Pantagruel written by the French author François Rabelais. It is one of most important artists' books of the twentienth century. André Derain provided the text with numerous colour wood engravings. This edition appeared - after a long period of gestation - in 1943. Swiss publisher Skira had the wood engravings coloured and printed by hand, every copy is in a way unique. This special copy belonged to the publisher's wife, Rosa Bianca Skira. Derain wrote an inscription to that effect in the colophon. The copy also contains 18 original pen drawings and 30 additional engravings in several states. The complete title is: Les horribles et espovantables faictz et prouesses du très renommé Pantagruel, Roy des Dipsodes, fils du grand géant Gargantua. Composé nouvellement par Maître Alcofrybas Nasier. Shelf-mark: Koopm K 416.

New texts available

In 2009 four new texts were added to the digital collection: the artist book by Shirley Sharoff, La grande muraille, two publications by Anakatabase by François Da Ros and Martine Rassineux (Anakatabase and Généalogies) and Gide's Thésée, illustrated by Krol. See the digital collection.

Exhibition Deluxe, the art of the French book

From 8 september to 19 october 2005 the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, National Library of the Netherlands, showed a selection from the Koopman Collection at De verdieping van Nederland (Legacy of the Netherlands). Read more (only available in Dutch).