Sculpture Park Engelbrecht
The Sculpture Park Erich Engelbrecht is located at the Château des Fougis, 03220 Thionne, department of Allier, France, and displays monumental massive steel sculptures of the German artist Erich Engelbrecht.
In 2001, Erich Engelbrecht bought the property with the intent of installing his Sculpture Park throughout the gardens and former farming and hunting fields of Château des Fougis
On loan from a private collection, the artist - ans his wife - mounted also a second exhibition in the main wing of the castle, presenting some previous works like large-format tapestries, oil paintings, small steel figures and graphics.
The open air exhibition at the Sculpture Park is open to public viewing. The indoor exhibition can only be visited following a previous private appointment.
Les Fougis (the site)
“In the 15th century, according to tradition, Les Fougis were the hunting grounds of the Bourbons. In 1495 records exist of financial payments between and, Lord of Fougis and provost of the Duke’s Hunting. Earlier still, there’s a reference to the Lord of Fougis in an inventory written in 1410 by for, Lord of Jaligny. In fact, the family le Long were the registered holders of from 1461 onwards, through squire, who was also provost of the Hunting of. The retained the ownership of until 1727, the date on which the territory was bequeathed to a nephew,. Their descendants retained it until the French Revolution. In 1802 it was bought by, whose family owns the site to the present day.
Rebuilt at the end of the 16th century the Fougis have walls pierced with more decorative openings. A description from in 1569 states
The château is composed of a main rectangular building, flanked by two square towers on its southwest and northeast corners, and a round tower to the southeast. A second perpendicular wing to the north is also flanked by another square tower on its east corner. The walls are made of red and dark brown brickwork, paired to form lozenge patterns. The openings are framed with white limestone. The north façade and some windows to the other sides were modified throughout the end of the 19th century.”
At the turn of the 19th to the 20th centuries, the house was completely renovated and remodelled. The main courtyard received arcades on both wings, one of them with a glazed loggia. The north wing became an extra floor for the extended family and services. The interiors present a language typical for the period.
After acquiring the property, Erich Engelbrecht undertook a multitude of renovation and building works on the fields and buildings to adapt Les Fougis for these exhibitions.
Some of his family members settled in Fougis, where they presently live and work.
Erich Engelbrecht (the artist)
Erich Engelbrecht was a German artist who left a in the fields of painting, graphics, tapestry, sculpture, architecture and poetry.Here is a selection of dates on
Construction
The first sculptures arrived in 2002 and until his death in 2011 he managed to create an open exhibition of 29 large monumental and coloured sculptures. The last sculpture - the smallest - arrived just after his death.All sculptures were produced in Germany and transported by road to Fougis, where they were finally assembled.
Two sculptures positioned at the entrance of the park were created in 1984 and came to the present place after originally guarding the entrance of his property in Germany for nearly a decade and being exhibited in Hamburg-Altona for nearly another decade. Belonging to a private collection, theses two sculptures are displayed on loan to the sculpture park.
Some sculptures are distributed around the Château des Fougis, others follow a path designed by the artist.
The indoor exhibition, a selection of large-format tapestries, oil paintings, small steel figures and graphics of Erich Engelbrecht, all on loan from a private collection, was imagined and installed between 2004 and 2010 by the artist himself and his wife Mrs Waltraud Engelbrecht. It is displayed throughout the galleries and the two main reception rooms of the Château des Fougis, which where specially renovated to receive these works.
List of Sculptures
List of Sculptures in the park with catalogue reference, original work and its date, date of arrival each sculpture in Fougis, dimensions and finishing| # | Catal. | Name | O | Date | FR | H | W | T | Weight | Finishing |
| 1 | 010.0320 | D | 1985 | 2002 | 10.0 | 9.2 | 0.33 | 112.00 | ||
| 2 | 011.0321 | D | 1992 | 2002 | 7.0 | 3.2 | 0.25 | 13.75 | ||
| 3 | 012.0322 | 1973 | 2003 | 6.3 | 0.055 | 12.00 | polychrome | |||
| 4 | 013.0323 | D | 1986 | 2004 | 7.0 | 5.5 | 0.23 | 27.26 | black | |
| 5 | 014.0324 | D | 1992 | 2004 | 12.0 | 3.8 | 0.35 | 45.90 | white | |
| 6 | 015.0325 | D | 1992 | 2004 | 9.0 | 9.9 | 0.30 | 61.45 | white | |
| 7 | 016.0326 | D | 1990 | 2004 | 7.0 | 5.4 | 0.23 | 29.52 | white | |
| 8 | 017.0327 | D | 1990 | 2005 | 9.0 | 6.4 | 0.30 | 56.64 | white | |
| 9 | 018.0328 | P | 1961 | 2006 | 7.8 | 1.7 | 0.23 | 15.57 | polychrome | |
| 10 | 019.0329 | W | 1964 | 2005 | 5.3 | 0.055 | 9.73 | polychrome | ||
| 11 | 020.0330 | D | 1989 | 2005 | 7.0 | 4.2 | 0.23 | 24.16 | white | |
| 12 | 021.0331 | D | 1990 | 2006 | 7.0 | 6.4 | 0.23 | 31.12 | white | |
| 13 | 022.0332 | D | 1986 | 2006 | 5.0 | 2.8 | 0.16 | 6.32 | white | |
| 14 | 023.0333 | D | 1985 | 2006 | 8.0 | 5.4 | 0.26 | 37.32 | black | |
| 15 | 024.0334 | D | 1986 | 2006 | 7.1 | 2.5 | 0.23 | 9.18 | white | |
| 16 | 025.0335 | D | 1992 | 2006 | 7.8 | 5.6 | 0.24 | 15.38 | white | |
| 17 | 026.0336 | P | 1963 | 2006 | 2.9 | 9.1 | 0.28 | 23.99 | polychrome | |
| 18 | 027.0337 | D | 1992 | 2006 | 7.5 | 5.4 | 0.23 | 12.98 | black | |
| 19 | 028.0338 | D | 1989 | 2006 | 7.0 | 4.9 | 0.23 | 27.73 | blue | |
| 20 | 029.0339 | D | 1992 | 2006 | 7.5 | 4.0 | 0.23 | 21.84 | yellow | |
| 21 | 030.0340 | D | 1992 | 2009 | 7.0 | 4.7 | 0.23 | 25.64 | blue | |
| 22 | 031.0341 | D | 1990 | 2009 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 0.23 | 28.11 | black | |
| 23 | 032.0342 | D | 1991 | 2007 | 11.6 | 9.9 | 0.32 | 92.40 | beige | |
| 24 | 034.0344 | D | 1984 | 2007 | 7.6 | 5.2 | 0.23 | 28.11 | raw steel | |
| 25 | 033.0343 | D | 1984 | 2007 | 7.5 | 5.9 | 0.23 | 27.98 | raw steel | |
| 26 | 035.0345 | P | 1961 | 2009 | 11.0 | 2.3 | 0.30 | 40.36 | polychrome | |
| 27 | 036.0346 | D | 1986 | 2011 | 2.2 | 0.97 | 0.07 | 0.42 | black | |
| 28 | 004.0314 | D | 1984 | 2006 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 0.14 | 6.41 | raw steel | |
| 29 | 003.0313 | D | 1984 | 2006 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 0.14 | 6.41 | raw steel |
- Units for dimensions: Height, Width and Thickness are in meters, the Weight in metric tonnes.
- All sculptures were cut from massive steel plates.
- The 7 digits reference in the present inventory for the catalogue : the first group with 3 digits report to the numbering within a type of works, the second group with 4 digits to the global work by the artist.
- Column "O" : D - Drawing ; P - Painting ; S - Steel Sculpture ; W - Wooden Sculpture.
- Column "Date" indicates the year of the Original Work as drawing, painting or sculpture.
- Column "FR" indicates the year of arrival in Fougis. Sculptures #28 & #29 were produced in 1984 and stood previously in Melle and Hamburg, before arriving 2006 in Fougis.
Literature
- - A book/catalogue about the Sculpture Park on the series OPUS, with contributions from :de:Gottfried Knapp|Dr. Gottfried Knapp and Arch. João J. de Abreu Vares.
- - A Monograph Erich Engelbrecht, with written contributions from Waltraud Engelbrecht, Renate Vogt, Dr, Gottfried Knapp and an interview with Hans-Jürgen Vogt, a longtime friend and patron Erich Engelbrecht. It will also include a first catalogue/listing on the works of the artist.