Johanna van Eijbergen

In Dutch metal art around 1900 we often talk about artists such as Jan Eisenloeffel (1876-1957), Frans Zwollo Sr. (1872-1945), Carel Begeer (1883-1956) and Johannes Cornelis Stoffels (1878-1952). However, the name Johanna van Eijbergen also belongs to this list of influential artists from that time. Van Eijbergen entered a man’s world and managed to build up a great oeuvre as a metal artist in a short period of time. She distinguished herself by the way in which she was able to connect stylized animal and plant motifs with geometric shapes. Her designs are in line with the prevailing Art Nouveau style from around the fin de siècle.

Van Eijbergen made her designs for the Hengelo manufacturer G. Dikkers & Co. This ‘Manufacturer of Appendages for Machines and Steam Boilers’ offered a workshop for the production of ornamental work between 1904 and 1910. Van Eijbergen’s designs were carried out here. It is flowers and animals, in particular winged insects, butterflies and fish, that appear on the vases and decorative dishes in brass, copper and tombak. In the book Johanna van Eijbergen | 1865-1950 we also see the fabulous work of the contemporary illustrator Merlijne Marell (1986), who was inspired by Van Eijbergen. This book will be published in conjunction with the solo exhibition of Johanna van Eijbergen’s work, which will take place in mid-2022 in the Drents Museum in Assen.