Carla Klein. Portret in opdracht

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On 21 September a portrait relief was revealed
of Mr A.R. Kolff van Oosterwijk engineer at the HERTEL Company
modelled by Carla Klein.

Design.

Wax-model.

Framed Relief.

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CARLA KLEIN AND HER MEDALS

The medal with the Self-portrait of Carla Klein (see above), was made on request of her husband in 1996 for his 50th birthday. The agreement was to have only one cast, but the founder cast three fine samples. The first one went to the husband, the second one to the Rijksmuseum Het Koninklijk Penningkabinet and the third to Carla's sister in the United States, so that the medal remained in this way unique. The front side features her face en-profil turned to the left with on her left shoulder one of her cats, Digger, looking to the right. The cat is supported by the right hand of its owner. The reverse is symbolic. A circle is placed in the middle with the monogram CK. In the second circle the names of ther husband and two cats were modeled: Arnold, Digger and Fari. On the third circle she put her profession: SCULPTRESS MEDALLIST (beeldhouwster medailleur). The raised border in the fourth circle underscores the circular shape. Briefly and to the point she says about this creation: 'This is my world around which all revolve.'

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Jaap van der Veen
Obv 87 mm Ø bronze, commission

Jaap van der Veen
rev 87 mm Ø bronze, commission

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Margit, portrait medal

Margit
73 mm Ø portrait/bronze, not commissioned

MEDALS OF CARLA KLEIN ARE INCREAS IN VALUE

Beside its free penningen Carla cut up also portrait medals in commision

30 year dierenartsenpraktijk
Obv, 90 mm Ø bronze, commissioned

Nicoline
Obv, 82 mm Ø bronze, not commissioned

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MEDALLIC ART AND PORTRAITS

HER PORTRAITS - The Amsterdam sculptress and medallist Carla Klein has created remarkable medals in her oeuvre; besides her portrait medals there are a dozen double portraits of people and animals. Portraits on medals constitute a separate field within sculpture: not every sculptor nowadays still makes portraits, especially now that medal art has been replaced by abstract creations and objects. To place a well resembling portrait in an artistic way within the circle is considered to be one of the most difficult tasks of the medallist. That is also the reason why so few succeed in getting it right. It is equally difficult to attain a good likeness with animals, something that the owner usually wishes for.

Liselot, Joor, Rosalien
obv 85 mm Ø bronze

Liselot, Joor, Rosalien
rev 85 mm Ø bronze

Trudie
obv 77 mm Ø bronze

Trudie
rev 77 mm Ø bronze

Margreet
Holleman munten
obv 80 mm Ø bronze

Margreet
Holleman munten
rev 80 mm Ø bronze

Marianne en Johan Toet
obv 80 mm Ø bronze

Marianne en Johan Toet
rev 80 mm Ø bronze

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QUIET STRENGTH - My admiration for Carla Klein's medals is not without foundation. She has learned it on her own. Her teacher on the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam, professor Piet Esser, taught her from 1967 until 1972 the technique of making sculptures, but not of making medals; Carla only began with that after she had left the Rijksakademie. Esser confirmed this in a talk I had with him in December 1999. Moreover, Carla works on a medal at least six months, whereas modelling sculptures demands less time. That is probably the reason why so few sculptors make medals. Obviously I'm very grateful to the sculptress for having drawn my attention to the beauty of medal art. What started as a hesitant discussion about coins and medals turned into a fascinating hobby. Carla often talks about the creations of her teacher Esser and the medallist Christl Seth-Höfner, for whom she has great admiration. Afterwards Heide Dobberkau was added. Carla considers their medals real works of art. Apart from that she considers the Renaissance medals as a high point. Carla herself worked in all peace and quiet on her oeuvre. She didn't bother very much about the various currents or trends which took place in medal art. As a result she developed in the course of years a particular style of her own. The models are sculptured and there is little polishing and filing to get a smoother surface. The sculptress remained faithful to herself and the task she had put herself: to create as well as possible medals within the traditional circle. There is still an ongoing growth in her work. Her medals have through their intensity a quiet strength, which you will experience when you have the medals for some time in your possession. From an artistic point of view Carla Klein reached a great height and as far as her technical skill is concerned: from the above it's obvious that she belongs to the few medallists who still really master the making of portrait medals.

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Carla's medal-table

The Amsterdam sculptor and medallist Carla Klein has created remarkable medals in her oeuvre; besides her portrait medals there are also double portraits of people and animals. Portraits on medals constitute a separate field within sculpture: not every sculptor nowadays still makes portraits, especially now that medal art has been replaced by abstract creations and objects. To place a well resembling portrait in an artistic way within the circle is considered to be one of the most difficult tasks of the medallist. That is also the reason why so few succeed in getting it right. It is equally difficult to attain a good likeness with animals, something that the owner usually wishes for. Her work has a distinct meditative radiation, reflecting sophisticated humorous aspects. And so, a centuries old tradition is produced in an manner which is clearly of our time - in her statues as well as in her medals. Medals have been incorporated in the collecties of the money - and bank museum at Utrecht, Medal Cabinet Uppsala in Sweden, The British Museum, Het Teylers Museum Haarlem, Groninger Museum, Museum Beelden aan Zee, the Allard Pierson Museum, the Cat Cabinet, Gemeentemuseum Weesp, Economische collectie Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam. Twente Welle oudheidskamer, Gemeente Enschede, Gemeentearchief Enschede, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and a lot of private collecties in within - and foreign country.

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