Sonsbeek '49: Europese Beeldhouwkunst in de Open Lucht
July 1-September 18, 1949
Exhibition committee
Marga Klompé (Voorzitter)
C.E. Alexander (city architect)
C. Borstlap (Commissaris van Politie Arnhem)
L.P.J. Braat (editor in chief of Kroniek van Kunst en Cultuur Amsterdam)
J. van Buggenum (member of the city council of Arnhem)
K.J. Douma (Editor Arnhemse Courant)
G. van Emst (director N.V. Veluwse Autobusdienst)
S.H. Frederiks (director municipal parks department Arnhem)
Jan H. de Groot (chairman of the working committee of Arnhem based artists)
John Grosman (sculptor, Arnhem)
Jan Havermans (secretary of Dutch Circle of Sculptors)
A.P. van der Heide (treasurer of the working committee of Arnhem based artists)
Fri Heil (sculptor, Arnhem)
L.W. Heil (treasurer organisation Visual Arts Arnhem)
H.J. Hendriks (inspector Nederlandse Handelmij)
J. Hetzler (editor of Arnhems Dagblad)
H.H. van Heuveln (chairman Bedrijfsgroep Horeca)
Gijs Jacobs van den Hof (sculptor, Arnhem)
J. ter Horst (chairman Vereniging voor Beeldende Kunst Arnhem)
B.A. Honig (director N.V. “Meteoor”)
H. Hupkes (chairman Middenstands Centrale)
H. Jaffé (curator Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam)
F.J. ten Kate (chairman V.V.V. Arnhem)
H.M. Keppel Hesselink (Oud-directeur V.V.V. Arnhem)
W. Kieken (administration V.V.V. Arnhem)
E.D. Klinkert (director N.V. N.B.M)
H.H. Kock (member of the city council of Arnhem)
Hildo Krop (chairman of the Dutch Society of Sculptors)
G.J. van Lerven (director Genootschap Kunstoefening Arnhem)
A.J. de Lorm (director Gemeentemuseum Arnhem, now Museum Arnhem)
Johan Mekkink (board member of organisation Visual Arts Arnhem)
A.F. Nendorff (representative N.S., Dutch railways)
W.J.B. Sandberg (chairman Federation for artists, Amsterdam)
K. Schuurman (curator Gemeentemuseum Den Haag)
Gerard Temme (secretary working committee Arnhem based artists)
J. Vet (director V.V.V. Arnhem)
J.C.W. de Winkel (treasurer V.V.V. Arnhem)
F.W. Viehoff (representatie KLM Gelderland and Overijssel)
H. Vis (director N.V. Gelderse Tramweg Mij)
D. Wisselo (secretary department Gelderland committee transport)
Johan van der Woude (literary scolar, Arnhem)
D. Wijlhuizen (editor of Groot Arnhem)
John Grosman (sculptor, Arnhem)
Theme
During Sonsbeek '49, the horrors of the Second World War were still fresh in people’s minds. The physical traces of the war were also still present in the cityscape of Arnhem, which had suffered much damage as a result of bombardments. Sonsbeek '49 was primarily intended for the mental recovery of the people of Arnhem. The exhibition exceeded all expectations: some 125,000 people visited the park.
Throughout the Netherlands, the reconstruction was accompanied by a surge in municipal orders for war memorials. The demand for monuments is also expressed during Sonsbeek '49, where a considerable number of the 199 exhibited sculptures later serve as monuments. A jury, consisting of members of the Dutch Society of Sculptors (De Nederlandse Kring van Beeldhouwers), determines the selection of the sculptures. It is not surprising that no less than three quarters of the artists came from the Netherlands. Other artists came from Belgium, France, Denmark, Austria, and Switzerland, among others. A small pavilion was set up to present small sculptures. The exhibitions that followed in 1952, 1955 and 1958 had broadly the same character.
Artists
Belgium
Jozef Cantré, Charles Leplae, Constant Meunier, George Minne, Henri Puvrez, Rik Wouters.
Denmark
Adam Fischer, Jorgen Gudmundsen Holmgren, Henrik Starcke.
Germany
Georg Kolbe
United Kingdom
Frank Dobson, Jacob Epstein, Henry Moore.
France
Emile A. Bourdelle, Joseph Bernard, Charles Despiau, Pablo Gargallo, Jacques Lipchitz, Aristide Maillol, Raymond Martin, Auguste Renoir, Auguste Rodin, Ossip Zadkine.
Austria
Fritz Wotruba
Swiss
Jacob Probst
The Netherlands
Frits J. van Hall, Henk Henriët, Johan Limpers, Cor van Teeseling, Gerrit van der Veen, Jozef Mendes da Costa, Lambertus Zijl, Mari Andriessen, Nel Bakema, G. Bolhuis, Lidi Buma-van Mourik Broekman, Fred Carasso, Pearl Couzijn-Perlmuter, Wessel Couzijn, Ab Diekerhof, Theo Dobbelman, Emil Epplé, Vincent P.S. Esser, Paul Gregoire, Pier A. de Groot, John Grosman, Ben Guntenaar, Jan Willem Havermans, Fri Heil, Joop C. Hekman, Frederik Hoevenagel, Piet D’Hont, Ivo van der Horst, Hans Ittmann, Gijs Jacobs van den Hof, Nel Klaassen, Carel Kneulman, Paul Ph. Koning, Hildo Krop, Titus Leeser, Hubert van Lith, Louise van Luyn-Metz, Jan P.W. Meefout, Th. Van der Nahmer, Charlotte van Pallandt, Johan Polet, Hanni Raedecker, John. A. Raedecker, Hans Reicher, Wilhelmus Reyers, Han Richters, Jacob M. Roosenburg, Gra J.W. Rueb, Gerarda Rueter, Coen Schilt, Kees Schrikker, Frits Sieger, Cephas Stauthamer, Johannes P.C. Verhulst, Charles Weddepohl, Johannes Gustaaf Wertheim, Han Wezelaar, Ybe van der Wielen, Johan van Zweden, Hendrik J.M. Zweerus, Chr. Hassoldt, L.H. Sondaar
Added during the exhibition
Wilhelm Lehmbrück, Ernst Barlach, Albert Termote
Location
Park Sonsbeek
Publication
Catalogue
SONSBEEK ’49: Europese Beeldhouwkunst in de Open Lucht, 1949
Design/composition: Gemeentemuseum Arnhem
Publisher: Vada, Wageningen
Facts and numbers
⋅ 125.000 visitors ⋅ 3 out of 4 artists from the Netherlands ⋅ 199 artworks
Still visible in Arnhem
Nel Klaassen, Eert de Vrouw, 1949
Location: Utrechtsestraat (in between ArtEZ and Museum Arnhem)
English 
Dutch