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Jardin d'émail

Jardin d'émail (1968–1974), also known in English as Enamel garden, is an outdoor sculpture by Jean Dubuffet at the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, the Netherlands. It was designed specifically for the museum and presented as a work of art that visitors can touch, walk through, and even play in. The sculpture is made from concrete, glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin, polyurethane, and paint. In 2020, it was closed for restoration because its surface was in poor condition. The restoration involved complete removal of the painted surface, careful replication of the artist’s original paint scheme and pattern, and the use of photogrammetry to reproduce hand-painted markings across the large surface area.

Jardin d\'émail sculpture with white abstract forms, black outlines, and tiered steps against trees and a cloudy sky.
Jean Dubuffet’s Jardin d\'émail with its white abstract forms and stepped surface in a landscaped setting.
© · CC BY 3.0
Jardin d\'émail by Jean Dubuffet, showing a white curving sculpture with black outlines and two people standing on the undulating surface.
Jardin d\'émail by Jean Dubuffet, with visitors standing on the large white sculptural surface in the park.
© · CC BY-SA 3.0
Jardin d\'émail sculpture with a wavy white wall and abstract tree-like form among bare trees.
Jardin d\'émail in an outdoor setting, showing its textured white forms against a winter sky.
March 2014 © · CC BY-SA 3.0 nl
Jardin d\'émail with a white undulating platform, black lines, and a tall abstract white structure in front of a forest.
Jardin d\'émail by Jean Dubuffet, with visitors on the sculptural white surface near the forest edge.
May 2012 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Jardin d\'émail sculpture with a man standing on its white, black-outlined surface in a bare forest
Jardin d\'émail by Jean Dubuffet, shown here in a wooded setting with a visitor standing on the sculpture.
January 2005 © · CC BY 2.0

Identification

TitleJardin d'émail
English titleEnamel garden
Typeoutdoor monumental sculpture

Historical context

Date1968–1974

Creator

ArtistJean Dubuffet
Based on plansPlans made by Dubuffet in 1968

Creation and design

Designed forKröller-Müller Museum

Physical characteristics

DimensionsNot specified
Surface areaVery large

Materials

MaterialsConcrete, glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin, polyurethane, and paint
Paint schemeBlack and white
Paint/coatingPainted with polyurethane

Technique

MethodPhotogrammetry was used for restoration planning

Appearance

Relationship to surroundingsStrong contrast with the surrounding nature
Stylistic featuresInstinctive lines emphasizing relief
StylePart of the Hourloupe series

Iconography and meaning

Artist's intentionTo create a permanent confrontation between the Hourloupe anti-nature and the surrounding nature
Interpretive description"A garden of artifices in a garden of real trees and real grass"

Location and ownership

LocationGarden of the Kröller-Müller Museum, De Hoge Veluwe National Park, near Otterlo, Netherlands
AccessibilityVisitors can enter, touch, walk through, and play in the installation

History and restoration

Restoration year2020
Restoration statusClosed during restoration
Condition before restorationSurface was in poor condition
Restoration workComplete removal of the painted surface and precise replication planning
Restoration aimTo reproduce the artist's hand-painted markings
Restoration noteThe artist's original paint scheme and pattern were followed

Significance

Work typeTotal artwork / installation
Sensory experienceStimulates all senses