Karel Appel, Frog with umbrella, 2001 (1993)

Crossing Kalvermarkt, Grote Marktstraat and Spui

Part of The Sculpture Gallery

This sculpture by Karel Appel (1921-2006) is a gift. It was donated to the royal city of The Hague in 2001 by De Stichting 750 jaar Den Haag (Foundation 750 years The Hague). It was given a special place of honour at the crossroads of the Sculpture Gallery. For this occasion it was produced in a bigger size than the other sculptures in the series, it was cast in bronze and placed on an extra large oval pedestal. The sculptor André Kruysen did the polishing of the surface and P. Struycken painted it. It is an enlarged version of Appel's small wooden sculpture Frog with Umbrella. 

In 2001 Karel Appel celebrated his 80th birtday. The unveiling of this sculpture in The Hague was part of an impressive number of festivities dedicated to this leading artist of the legendary COBRA movement. Other events included: the unveiling of ‘The Fountain' on the Sandbergplein in Amstelveen and three major exhibitions: 'Karel Appel, sculptures 1936-2000' in the Cobra Museum in Amstelveen; 'Karel Appel, pastorale chiaroscuro' in the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam; 'Karel Appel, work on paper 1940-2000' in the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague.

The Karel Appel sculpture 'Frog with Umbrella' is a gift from the Foundation 750 Jaar Den Haag. Pedestal and installation were financed by the city of The Hague and Stroom Den Haag.

Karel Appel, 2001, 'Frog with umbrella', bronze, moulded by André Kruysen and painted by P. Struycken
photo: Renate Boere, Cas Marks, Laurens van der Pool