Jump to content
Menu

Your introduction to the art 
of northern Germany

Your introduction to the art of northern Germany

Welcome to the Block collection

The Block collection is one of Germany's most important private collections of representational art. It focuses on 20th and 21st century paintings created here in the region. The collection provides deep insights into the history of northern German painting from the past century until today – from the Hamburg Secession group to the northern German representatives of realism and talented contemporary up-and-coming artists.

Explore art books

"This superior collection was compiled with understanding, appreciation and expertise. It has an identity, a clear structure and poignancy; in its entirety, it is museum-worthy. It is a surprising gem of the Hamburg art scene and far beyond, and worth discovering."

Dr. Friedhelm Häring

Northern German art

Northern German art

"This superior collection was compiled with understanding, appreciation and expertise. It has an identity, a clear structure and poignancy; in its entirety, it is museum-worthy. It is a surprising gem of the Hamburg art scene and far beyond, and worth discovering."

Dr. Friedhelm Häring

Beautiful everyday items – artisanry

We stage changing artwork exhibitions on the first floor of the grand foyer. Currently on show is paper artwork created by Andrea Schaper. In her workshop, Ms Schaper produces sophisticated, , on request also personalised, everyday items such as albums, concertina books, guest books and notebooks by hand. Discover beautiful and exquisite works of art made from paper, fabric and leather.

Bound art: our publications

For the book "LebensWerke", Christa Block invited artists on a painted journey through the family business that resulted in over 80 works. The "Werkverzeichnis" features 800 selected exhibits from the Block collection. The book "Mit allen Sinnen. Vom Malen, Kochen und Genießen" contains paintings and photographs as well as recipes from the Grand Elysée Hamburg kitchens.

LebensWerke

To mark the 50th anniversary of the BLOCK HOUSE restaurants, Christia Block invited the artists Tobias Duwe, André Krigar and Meike Lipp to look at the family business in the form of paintings. The more than 80 resulting works provide insights into the many facets of the family business and Eugen Block's lifetime achievement from an artistic perspective.

Werkverzeichnis

This 288-page catalogue of works provides some insights into the extensive Block collection. It features illustrations of around 800 of the impressive and varied exhibits. In addition, an inventory of all works in the collection, including information on their respective exhibition location, is included on the last few pages of the book.

Mit allen Sinnen. Vom Malen, Kochen und Genießen

This 140-page artists' book was produced on the occasion of the exhibition "Mit allen Sinnen: Das Kunst & Küche-Projekt im Grand Elysée Hamburg", which was held in the Elysée gallery between 2012 and 2013. The publication not only features paintings by Hinnerk Bodendieck and Friedel Anderson, but also photographs by Michael Zapf, as well as kitchen secrets and recipes for a few classic Grand Elysée Hamburg dishes.
 

Art in the hotel and the hotel in art

In the course of her commitment to supporting the arts, Christa Block initiated around 100 commissioned works that address various spatial and thematic situations at the Grand Elysée Hamburg. In close cooperation with the artists, Ms Block was involved at the concept stage, invited entries to competitions, hosted symposia and accompanied the artistic processes until their ultimate realisation. This collaboration resulted in works such as the two opposite friezes in the grand foyer, "Ein Reigen", created by Friedel Anderson, and "Ball der Kunst", created by Hinnerk Bodendieck, "Die Lobby" by Silke Meyer in the stairwell, or Bernd Altenstein's "Paradiesbrunnen" in front of the hotel's main entrance.

In 2004, the Hamburger Lichtwark-Gesellschaft awarded the Gustav-Schiefler medal to Christa Block in honour of her commitment to and support of the arts in northern Germany. 

 

Commitment

We are always there for you

Please do not hesitate to contact our curator Meike Woermann if you have any questions related to our publications or the Elysée gallery, or are interested in a private or corporate guided tour of the Block collection.

Ms Meike Woermann
Curator, Block collection

+49 (0) 40 41 41 2-825meike.woermann@grand-elysee.com

Contact details