Rietberg Museum
Encyclopedia
The Rietberg Museum is a museum in Zürich
, Switzerland
, displaying Asian, African, American and Oceanian art. It is the only art museum of non-European cultures in Switzerland, the third-largest museum in Zürich, and the largest to be run by the city itself. In 2007 it received approximately 157,000 visitors.
in central Zürich, and consists of several historic buildings: the Wesendonck Villa, the Remise (or "Depot"), the Rieter Park-Villa, and the Schönberg Villa. In 2007 a new building designed by Alfred Grazioli and Adolf Krischanitz
was opened – the addition of this largely subterranean building, known as "Smaragd", more than doubled the museum's exhibition space.
The Rieterpark is located near Zürich Enge railway station, and can also be reached by tram line #7 and bus line #33.
, the Swiss expressionist
painter.
In 1976 the city acquired the Schönberg Villa, which had been threatened with demolition, and opened it in 1978 as an extension of the museum. Today the Villa is also home to an extensive non-lending library administrated by the museum.
s. The museum's publishing activity has increased since 1985, in connection with the large special exhibitions that it has organised since then, and it now publishes four to six new titles per year.
Since 1991, the museum also publishes Artibus Asiae
, a biannual scholarly journal on the arts and archaeology of Asia.
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, displaying Asian, African, American and Oceanian art. It is the only art museum of non-European cultures in Switzerland, the third-largest museum in Zürich, and the largest to be run by the city itself. In 2007 it received approximately 157,000 visitors.
Location and buildings
The Rietberg Museum is situated in the 17 acres (68,796.6 m²) RieterparkRieterpark
The Rieterpark is a park in central Zurich, Switzerland.-History:In the 19th century it was bought by the German merchant Otto Wesendonck in an independent municipality near Zurich...
in central Zürich, and consists of several historic buildings: the Wesendonck Villa, the Remise (or "Depot"), the Rieter Park-Villa, and the Schönberg Villa. In 2007 a new building designed by Alfred Grazioli and Adolf Krischanitz
Adolf Krischanitz
-Biography:Krischanitz was born in Schwarzach im Pongau, Salzburg, Austria. He studied architecture at the Vienna University of Technology from 1965 to 1972.-Academic career:...
was opened – the addition of this largely subterranean building, known as "Smaragd", more than doubled the museum's exhibition space.
The Rieterpark is located near Zürich Enge railway station, and can also be reached by tram line #7 and bus line #33.
History
In the early 1940s the city of Zürich purchased the Rieterpark and the Wesendonck Villa. In 1949 the Wesendonck Villa was selected, by referendum, to be rebuilt into a museum for the Baron Eduard von der Heydt's art collection, which he had donated to the city in 1945. This was carried out in 1951-52 under the architect Alfred Gradmann. The Rietberg Museum was opened on 24 May 1952. Until 1956 the director was Johannes IttenJohannes Itten
Johannes Itten was a Swiss expressionist painter, designer, teacher, writer and theorist associated with the Bauhaus school...
, the Swiss expressionist
Expressionism
Expressionism was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas...
painter.
In 1976 the city acquired the Schönberg Villa, which had been threatened with demolition, and opened it in 1978 as an extension of the museum. Today the Villa is also home to an extensive non-lending library administrated by the museum.
Organisation and funding
The Rietberg Museum is operated by the presidential department of the city of Zürich. In 2007 it employed around 100 people. About half of the funding comes from the city, while the other half is raised through revenue, sponsoring and charity. Additions to the collection come mostly from donations.Publishing activities
The museum established an in-house press shortly after its founding in 1952. Initially it published catalogues of the museum's Asian and African artworks, as well as occasional short monographMonograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
s. The museum's publishing activity has increased since 1985, in connection with the large special exhibitions that it has organised since then, and it now publishes four to six new titles per year.
Since 1991, the museum also publishes Artibus Asiae
Artibus Asiae
Artibus Asiae is a biannual academic journal specialising in the arts and archaeology of Asia. Along with the Ostasiatische Zeitschrift it was one of the most successful journals in its field in the German-speaking part of Europe. The first number of Artibus Asiae appeared in 1925...
, a biannual scholarly journal on the arts and archaeology of Asia.