Independent Collectors
Geometric Abstraction
What came first – the chocolate bar or the collection?
![FRANÇOIS MORELLET, Triple X Neonly, 2012. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24751/2023-06-12_08-58-50_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.640x0.jpg?v=1537879802 640w, /site/assets/files/24751/2023-06-12_08-58-50_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.jpg?v=672138092 1024w)
What came first – the chocolate bar or the collection? Granddaughter of the Ritter Sport chocolate bar founder, Marli Hoppe-Ritter took the square form of the iconic sweet treat and took that as the starting point for her art collection.
Located in Waldenbuch, Germany, the Marli Hoppe-Ritter Collection consists of nearly 1 000 paintings, objects, sculptures and graphic works all with a square-centered geometric focus. Marli Hoppe-Ritter believes that “whether serious or playful, mathematic or spiritual, analytic or even humorous – the possibilities ways in which artists can occupy themselves with the square are almost inexhaustible”, and she is not wrong.
Whilst the collection itself may have the square at its core, the artworks within are a stunning presentation of geometric abstraction from the twentieth and twenty-first century, featuring works from geometric-constructive artists such as Joseph Albers, Johannes Itten and the Zurich Concrete artists.
Since opening its doors to the public in 2005, the Marli Hoppe-Ritter Collection, which was designed by Swiss architect Max Dudler and located on the chocolate company’s property, has gone on to become a fixed cultural landmark of Waldenbuch where art can be lively, approachable and accessible to all.
![RUPPRECHT GEIGER, Untitled, 1994. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-21_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-3.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-21_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-3.jpg 1024w)
![GEROLD MILLER, Total Object 124, 2007](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-20_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-20_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.jpg 1024w)
![JOSEF ALBERS, Homage to the Square: Pronounced, 1961. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-21_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-21_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.jpg 1024w)
![MAX BILL, Transcoloration Durch Helle Zonen, 1972. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-21_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-1.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-21_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-1.jpg 1024w)
![Museum view with an installation by DANIEL BUREN, "Broken Square and Projected Colours" 2013. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-21_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-2.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-21_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-2.jpg 1024w)
![ANGELA BULLOCH, Pixel Corner Piece, 2015. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-21_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-4.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-21_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-4.jpg 1024w)
![IMI KONEBEL, Revolver III, 2003](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-22_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-22_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.jpg 1024w)
![FRANÇOIS MORELLET, Triple X Neonly, 2012. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-22_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-1.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-22_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-1.jpg 1024w)
![MAURIZIO NANNUCCI, Love, 2013](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-22_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-2.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-22_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-2.jpg 1024w)
![VICTOR VASARELY, Balaton, 1977. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-22_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-3.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-22_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-3.jpg 1024w)
![GRAZIA VARISCO, Schema Luminoso, 1964](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-22_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-4.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-22_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-4.jpg 1024w)
![HANS JÖRG GLATTFELDER, PYR 3, 1968](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.jpg 1024w)
![JIM LAMBIE, Metal Box 2010, 2010. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-1.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-1.jpg 1024w)
![PAOLA PIVI, Untitled, 2008](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-2.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-2.jpg 1024w)
![EL LISSITZSKY, History of Two Squares, 1919](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-3.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-3.jpg 1024w)
![AUGUSTE HERBIN, Oiseau, 1946. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-4.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-4.jpg 1024w)
![KASIMIR MALEWITSCH, Untitled, 1915](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-5.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-23_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-5.jpg 1024w)
![JOHANNES ITTEN, Leuchtendes Rot, 1955. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-24_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-24_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors.jpg 1024w)
![VERA MOLNAR, Dispersés par le Vent au Large, 1999. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-24_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-1.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-24_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-1.jpg 1024w)
![SEBASTIAN HEMPEL, 4 Quadrate, 2012. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017](/site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-24_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-2.640x0.jpg 640w, /site/assets/files/24755/2023-06-12_09-00-24_geometric-abstraction_bmw_art_guide_by_independent_collectors-2.jpg 1024w)
Sammlung Marli Hoppe-Ritter is included in the Art Guide.