Art collection of the Municipality of Riehen
The art collection includes works of art that artistically enhance façade walls, parks, grounds, cemeteries, schools and interiors in the Municipality of Riehen. Many objects and paintings enable open discussions and reflections on social issues in the places where they are presented.
The art collection of the Municipality of Riehen consist of over 900 works, including a large number of objects in public spaces such as bronze sculptures, stone and marble sculptures, fountains and more. With the construction of the new Niederholz school building in 1948, pictorial objects were purchased by the municipality of Riehen for the first time. With the donation of the bronze sculpture Die Säerin (1933) by Jakob Johann Probst in 1934, the beginning can be dated earlier. However, it was never the intention of the municipality to create a continuous collection. Rather, the intention was to make targeted purchases or award commissions for art and construction in order to decorate the buildings of the growing municipality. The Commission Fine Arts has been advising on the acquisition of works of art since 1971.
In 2019, art walks were developed that invite visitors to explore the various works of art in public spaces in the Municipality of Riehen on three routes:
www.kunstspaziergang-riehen.ch
More information on the art collection of the Municipality of Riehen in the Jahrbuch z'Rieche 2022:
Der Kunstbesitz der Gemeinde Riehen – Kunst für alle
1
Jakob Johann Probst, Die Säerin (The Sower), 1933, bronze sculpture on the lawn of the Mohrhalden park
2
Otto Roos, Schäfer mit Hund (Shepherd with Dog), 1933, cast in bronze
3
“Böckligumper-Brunnen” (Böckligumper Fountain) by Elly Iselin-Boesch, 1959, bronze, with a view of Otto-Wenk-Platz
4
“Giggishans-Brunnen” (Giggihans Fountain) by Rosa Bratteler, 1957, bronze, at the Wasserstelzen bus stop with a view towards the playground of the Wasserstelzen school building.
5
Faustina Iselin, Maledetta Toscana, 1967, acrylic on pavatex, at the art archive of the Municipality of Riehen
6
Gustava Iselin, Landschaft (Landscape), undated, oil on canvas, at the art archive of the Municipality of Riehen
7
Regula Huegli, Becken, No. 19, 1990, mixed media, corridor on the ground floor of the Riehen community center
8
Willi Wenk, Blick vom Hornfelsen auf Basel (View of Basel from the Horn rock), undated, oil on canvas, basement of the Riehen community center
All Photos: © Ursula Sprecher, Basel
All works are from the art collection of the Municipality of Riehen