Draft:Gabriël Sterk

Gabriël Sterk

Gabriël Sterk is a Dutch sculptor born on November 29, 1942, in Vleuten, Netherlands. He has worked in the Netherlands, Australia, and France. Sterk's most renowned works are his monumental bronze sculptures: Cézanne, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Picasso. He has also created numerous animal sculptures (particularly equestrian) and free compositions.

Biography

Early Life

Sterk spent his youth in the surroundings of De Haar Castle, near the city of Utrecht, where the sculptures and the surrounding nature sparked his artistic imagination from an early age. At the age of 12, he was sent to a seminary, but his artistic vocation quickly became evident.

Education

At the age of 16, Sterk attended the Adelaide School of Fine Arts. Inspired by the Australian fauna and flora, he continued his art studies under the guidance of Dora Chapman (1911–1995), who advised him to return to Europe to further his training. In 1960, he was admitted to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam (Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten), where he studied sculpture for seven years. During this period, he also trained in foundry techniques.

At the end of his studies, he won the "Prix de Rome medal" at the age of 27 with his statue David and Saul (now located in the town of Breukelen, Netherlands).

Career

Sterk's career began in the Netherlands, where he completed around twenty public commissions for various municipalities.

His return to Australia in 1979 marked an important milestone: he created monumental works there, such as The Mare and Her Foal for the town of Scone. Since 1982, this work has been located in Elizabeth Park. He also created The Ghan for Alice Springs.

He also opened a gallery near Adelaide and established his own foundry, where numerous bronzes were produced, including works by the Australian sculptor and painter John Dowie (1915–2008).

This period was characterized by technical exploration and prolific artistic production.

In 1985, he moved to France, settling in the Paris region near Rambouillet, and exhibited at the Bernheim-Jeune Gallery in Paris. Additionally, he frequently showcased his equestrian works in Deauville, and in 1991, the Town Hall of Clairefontaine (Yvelines) organized an exhibition of his works.

In 1992, he was awarded the Prize of Excellence of the "Grand Prix Rodin" by The Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan for his monumental bronze Noyade (Drowning).

In 2000, Gabriel Sterk settled in the south of France in Aix-en-Provence. In 2002, he created a monumental bronze of Paul Cézanne for the city. The work was inaugurated in 2006 at Place de la Rotonde to commemorate the centenary of the painter's death.

The same year, his monumental statue of Vincent van Gogh was permanently installed at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole Monastery in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, and in 2017, the city of Mougins acquired his monumental portrait of Picasso.

Sterk exhibits his sculptures in Aix-en-Provence and participates in numerous exhibitions in the South of France.

In 2023, the Mougins Monumental exhibition featured eighteen monumental bronzes by the sculptor.

On July 13, 2024, the monumental bronze Rembrandt in Painter's Attire was inaugurated in the city center of Leiden, his birthplace.

Influences and Style

Sterk's work is deeply rooted in the figurative tradition of European sculpture, while also being influenced by his life experiences in Australia. His style combines striking realism with a bold exploration of forms and textures, primarily using bronze for its expressive qualities.

Works in Museum Collections

- Jeune fille, 1967, (Museum Beelden aan Zee)

- Van Gogh, 2004, (Noordbrabants Museum)

- Noyade (Drowning), 1992, (Utsukushi-ga-hara Open air museum)

- Jappeloup, 1996, (Musée olympique de Lausanne)

- Picasso, 2008, (Musée d'Art Classique de Mougins)

Photo Gallery

• 
  Geese (1975)
• 
  Dancers (1977)
• 
  Foal (1977)
• 
  Picasso (2008)
• 
  Van Gogh (2004)
• 
  Young Rembrandt (2005)
• 
  Saint Peter’s Nightmare (1991)
• 
  Darius Milhaud (2008)
• 
  Rembrandt (2005)
• 
  Drowning (1992)
• 
  Jappeloup (1996)
• 
  Stallions (1996)
• 
  Princess Beatrix in Gabriël Sterk's Studio (1972)

Awards and Honors

1969: Prix de Rome Medal.

1974: Paul-Louis Weiller Portrait Prize from the Academy of Fine Arts.

1992: Prize of Excellence in the "Grand Prix Rodin" from the Hakone Open-Air Museum.

1992: President of the Republic Prize at the Rambouillet Animal Sculpture Biennial.

1993: Public Prize at the Château de Coubertin in Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse.

1993: First Prize, Sculpture Section, First Autumn Salon of Saumur Art and Horse Crafts.

Expositions

Sterk's works have been exhibited at the Bernheim-Jeune Gallery in Paris (1985–1987), the Gallery Schoots in Eindhoven, Netherlands, the Macquarie Gallery in Canberra (1977), and the Leveson Gallery in Melbourne, Australia (1990). They have also been displayed in notable locations such as the Champ de Mars in Paris (1996), the Living Museum of the Horse in Chantilly (1999), the Carré Theater in Amsterdam (2006), Rue de la Mairie in Marseille, European Capital of Culture (2013).