Independent Collectors

Geometric Abstraction

What came first – the chocolate bar or the collection?

FRANÇOIS MORELLET, Triple X Neonly, 2012. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
FRANÇOIS MORELLET, Triple X Neonly, 2012. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017

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
RUPPRECHT GEIGER, Untitled, 1994. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
GEROLD MILLER, Total Object 124, 2007
GEROLD MILLER, Total Object 124, 2007
JOSEF ALBERS, Homage to the Square: Pronounced, 1961. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
JOSEF ALBERS, Homage to the Square: Pronounced, 1961. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
MAX BILL, Transcoloration Durch Helle Zonen, 1972. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
MAX BILL, Transcoloration Durch Helle Zonen, 1972. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
Museum view with an installation by DANIEL BUREN, "Broken Square and Projected Colours" 2013. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
Museum view with an installation by DANIEL BUREN, "Broken Square and Projected Colours" 2013. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
ANGELA BULLOCH, Pixel Corner Piece, 2015. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
ANGELA BULLOCH, Pixel Corner Piece, 2015. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
IMI KONEBEL, Revolver III, 2003
IMI KONEBEL, Revolver III, 2003
FRANÇOIS MORELLET, Triple X Neonly, 2012. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
FRANÇOIS MORELLET, Triple X Neonly, 2012. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
MAURIZIO NANNUCCI, Love, 2013
MAURIZIO NANNUCCI, Love, 2013
VICTOR VASARELY, Balaton, 1977. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
VICTOR VASARELY, Balaton, 1977. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
GRAZIA VARISCO, Schema Luminoso, 1964
GRAZIA VARISCO, Schema Luminoso, 1964
HANS JÖRG GLATTFELDER, PYR 3, 1968
HANS JÖRG GLATTFELDER, PYR 3, 1968
JIM LAMBIE, Metal Box 2010, 2010. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
JIM LAMBIE, Metal Box 2010, 2010. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
PAOLA PIVI, Untitled, 2008
PAOLA PIVI, Untitled, 2008
EL LISSITZSKY, History of Two Squares, 1919
EL LISSITZSKY, History of Two Squares, 1919
AUGUSTE HERBIN, Oiseau, 1946. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
AUGUSTE HERBIN, Oiseau, 1946. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
KASIMIR MALEWITSCH, Untitled, 1915
KASIMIR MALEWITSCH, Untitled, 1915
JOHANNES ITTEN, Leuchtendes Rot, 1955. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
JOHANNES ITTEN, Leuchtendes Rot, 1955. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
VERA MOLNAR, Dispersés par le Vent au Large, 1999. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
VERA MOLNAR, Dispersés par le Vent au Large, 1999. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
SEBASTIAN HEMPEL, 4 Quadrate, 2012. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017
SEBASTIAN HEMPEL, 4 Quadrate, 2012. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017

Sammlung Marli Hoppe-Ritter is included in the Art Guide.

Waldenbuch (1)