Fondation Beyeler - Nationale Suisse Conservation Project 2009-12: Henri Matisse, "Acanthes"

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Nationale Suisse and the Fondation Beyeler have agreed to jointly
sponsor an extensive, three-year restoration project (2009-12). It
will be devoted to the scholarly investigation and restoration of
Henri Matisse's "Acanthes" (1953), a major work in his series of
large format "Papiers découpés," or paper cut-outs. The project will
be continually documented on a special website. In addition, a
showroom is planned for 2010 in which museum visitors can witness the
restoration process first-hand. The project is aimed both at
specialists and a broader, interested public.

Statements
"The Fondation Beyeler is proud to be able to collaborate with
Nationale Suisse on the restoration of Matisse's "Acanthes" We are
fortunate to have a committed partner with international experience
in conservation to assist in this complex project. Our shared
interest is to investigate cultural assets, make them accessible to
the public, and conserve them for the benefit of coming generations."
Sam
Keller
Director,
Fondation Beyeler

Fine art is of great significance for Nationale Suisse. The affinity
with art is reflected not only in the motto, "the art of insurance,"
but also in a major collection of contemporary Swiss art and
insurance policies adapted to the individual needs of the clients.
"Securing cultural assets while making them accessible to future
generations of viewers is one of the most important tasks of an art
insurance company," says Dr. Dietrich von Frank, head of the HNWI/Art
Europe department at Nationale Suisse. "When I approached Sam Keller,
director of the Fondation Beyeler, in spring 2009, in order to
discuss the possibilities of a partnership between insurer and museum
in this regard, he suggested we devote ourselves to this key work by
Matisse."

Dr. Dietrich von Frank
Head,
HNWI/Art Europe

The Art-Historical Significance of Henri Matisse's "Acanthes"
Henri Matisse (1869-1954) is one of the most significant artists of
classical modernism alongside Pablo Picasso. Matisse is represented
in the Beyeler Collection with ten masterworks, including four of his
legendary "Papiers découpés," compositions in cut-out paper from his
late period. For Matisse, these marked the apex of his efforts to
create the ultimate, harmonious image, the "décoration" he pursued
throughout his life. In addition, cutting shapes out of paper colored
beforehand with gouache, and arranging these shapes into compositions
- initially on the walls of his residence in Cimiez near Nice - in
his eyes represented a synthesis of artistic activities: an
unprecedented combination of drawing, sculpture and painting.

Ernst Beyeler early on recognized the importance of these
long-underestimated works, which today rarely appear on the art
market. Back in 1960 he acquired two cut-outs from the Matisse family
holdings: "Nu bleu I" (1952, 106 x 78 cm), a veritable icon of modern
art and one of the most prominent works in the Beyeler Collection,
and "Acanthes" (1953, 311 x 350.5 cm), an extremely large-scale
"décoration" bursting with joie de vivre. This major example of the
large-scale Papiers découpés was Matisse's penultimate work. Further
important specimens in this medium are in the collections of the
Museum of Modern Art, New York, the National Gallery of Art,
Washington, D.C., the Tate London, the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam,
the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, and the Musée Matisse, Nice.

"Acanthes" was last on view at the Fondation Beyeler in the
exhibitions "Henri Matisse" (2006) and "The Other Collection: Homage
to Hildy and Ernst Beyeler" (2007-08).

The Restoration Project
Due to the different materials employed, Matisse's cut-outs are
extremely fragile works, as the artist himself well knew. As a
result, the stabilization of these pieces by means of conservation
measures represents a considerable challenge to restorers.

In spite of its large format, "Acanthes" is fortunately in a very
good state of preservation. It consists of several layers of wood,
canvas, and various papers and pigments. It is just this diversity of
materials that raises problems of long-term conservation; their
different aging processes and the resulting damage have already been
observed in comparable works.

The interdisciplinary project therefore extends beyond paper and
paint conservation to encompass an art-historical investigation. The
first aim of the project is a scholarly and scientific study of the
work. It is hoped that analyses of painting technique will provide
detailed information regarding the artist's methods and intentions.
In a second step, preventive maintenance and conservation strategies
will be developed and applied.

In order to do justice to the quality and importance of "Acanthes,"
an international team of restoration experts will be recruited to
supplement the art-historical research efforts. This extremely
complex project will be conducted from 2009 to 2012.

Further information and press materials are available from:
Sophia Schor, Tel. +41 (0)61 275 23 86, Fax +41 ((0)61 275 22 21,
sophia.schor@nationalesuisse.ch, www.nationalesuisse.ch, Nationale
Suisse, Generaldirektion, Steinengraben 41, CH-4003 Basel

Catherine Schott, Tel. + 41 (0)61 645 97 21, Fax + 41 (0)61 645 97
39, presse@beyeler.com, www.beyeler.com, Fondation Beyeler,
Baselstrasse 77, CH-4125 Riehen

Brief profile
Nationale Suisse is an innovative, The headquarters of Swiss
international Swiss insurer providing National Insurance Company Ltd
first-rate risk and pension solutions is in Basel. Nationale Suisse
and tailored niche products. The Group is listed on the SIX Swiss
has gross premiums of CHF 1.67 Exchange (NATN). On 30 June
billion, about 30% of which come from 2009 the Group employed 1,796
their subsidiaries in Germany, persons (FTEs).
Belgium, Italy and Spain.

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influence of uncertain and
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Information
Sophia Schor Nationale Suisse
Media relations Steinengraben 41
Tel. +41 61 275 23 86 4003 Basel
Fax +41 61 275 22 21 www.nationalesuisse.ch
sophia.schor@nationalesuisse.ch

Important dates
Publication of Annual Report 22.04.2010
Media conference to announce financial 22.04.2010
results at Hotel Widder, Zurich
Financial analysts' conference at 22.04.2010
Hotel Widder, Zurich
Annual General Meeting 07.06.2010
Publication of Semi-Annual Report 23.09.2010

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