Painting his inaugural oil canvas at age sixteen, Constant Nieuwenhuys utilized a jute sugar bag and pigments acquired from a house painter. This initial work, titled De Emmaüsgangers, reflected the religious influence of his Jesuit schooling at the Ignatius Gymnasium before his eventual rejection of Catholicism at age twenty.
Early Education and Influences
Before his formal training at the Rijksschool voor Kunstnijverheid Amsterdam and the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, Constant developed his skills in literature, music, and drawing. During his tenure in Bergen between 1941 and 1943, he encountered the work of Paul Cézanne, which significantly shaped his stylistic development. His early creative output was often constrained by limited resources, leading him to utilize household linens for surfaces.
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In 1946, a trip to Paris led to a pivotal meeting with Danish painter Asger Jorn. By 1948, Constant co-founded the Experimentele Groep in Holland alongside Corneille, Karel Appel, and his brother Jan Nieuwenhuys. He authored the movement's manifesto in the magazine Reflex, asserting that the creative process held more value than the final object. This collaboration expanded into the CoBrA movement, an international collective named for the members' home cities.
Exhibitions and Critical Reception
Support from Willem Sandberg, director of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, allowed the CoBrA group to mount major exhibitions in 1949 and 1951. Despite the provision of materials to produce large-scale works, the public and press reaction was largely hostile, with critics dismissing the contributions as messy and unprofessional. The group ultimately dissolved in 1951 during the Liège exhibition, choosing to end their collaboration while maintaining their artistic integrity.
Diverse Artistic Practice
Beyond his work as a painter, Constant operated as a sculptor, photographer, graphic artist, writer, and urban planner. His interests extended to music, where he played the violin, guitar, and the cimbalon. Throughout his career, his output moved from religious-themed drawings to experimental abstraction. His contributions to the arts were recognized through multiple honors, including the Sikkens Prize in 1960 and the Zilveren Anjer in 2006.
Fast facts
- Born: 1920, Amsterdam
- Died: 2005, Utrecht
- Citizenship: Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Occupations: Painter, sculptor, graphic artist, urban planner, writer, photographer
- Sikkens Prize: 1960
- Jeanne Oosting Award: 1985
- Verzetsprijs van de Stichting Kunstenaarsverzet: 1991
- Zilveren Anjer: 2006
Questions readers ask
What does the name CoBrA represent?
It is an acronym derived from the home cities of its founding members: Copenhagen, Brussels, and Amsterdam.
What was the significance of Constant's early Jesuit education?
His time at the Ignatius Gymnasium deeply influenced his early artistic output, which frequently focused on religious subjects before he abandoned Catholicism at age twenty.
Achievements
- Sikkens Prize — 1960
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