{{short description|Dutch art historian and curator (born 1942)}} {{Infobox person |name = Rudi Fuchs |image = Rudi Fuchs (1985).jpg |image_size = 250px |alt = Rudi Fuchs (1985) |caption = Rudi Fuchs in 1985 |birth_name = Rudolf Herman Fuchs |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1942|04|28|df=yes}} |birth_place = Eindhoven, Netherlands |alma_mater = Leiden University |occupation = Author, art critic }}

'''Rudolf Herman''' "'''Rudi'''" '''Fuchs''' (born 28 April 1942) is a Dutch art historian and curator.

==Personal life== Rudolf Herman Fuchs was born on 28 April 1942 in Eindhoven in the Netherlands. He studied art history from 1967 to 1975 at Leiden University, after which he became a museum director and critic. According to one source "he represents the dying type of museum director who, like a teacher, guides his visitors through the wonderful world of art."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-12-14 |title=Rudi Fuchs |url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/cultuur-media/rudi-fuchs~b8e9817f/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=de Volkskrant |language=nl-NL}}</ref>

Fuchs has twin sons (born in 1970), one of whom is the noted graphic designer, Rutger Fuchs. He lives in Amsterdam and Norfolk.<ref>Rudi Fuchs, "[http://www.damienhirst.com/texts/2010/march--rudi-fuchs Minimal Baroque and Hymns]", Damienhirst.com, 2010.</ref>

==Career== In 1975, Fuchs became director of the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven. At that time he was the youngest director of a museum in the Netherlands.<ref>{{in lang|nl}} Robbert Roos, "[http://www.kunstbeeld.nl/nl/nieuws/11046/rudi-fuchs-verlaat-stedelijk-museum.html Rudi Fuchs verlaat Stedelijk Museum]", ''Kunstbeeld'', 2002.</ref> According to the Van Abbemuseum, it was the start of a career that would lead to him "becoming one of Europe's leading museum directors."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Rudi Fuchs (1975-1987) |url=https://vanabbemuseum.nl/nl/museum/over-het-museum/stichter-en-directeuren/rudi-fuchs-1975-1987 |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=vanabbemuseum.nl |language=en}}</ref> Unlike his immediate predecessors at the museum, Fuchs concentrated on contemporary European art (as opposed to contemporary American art) and focused on collections and purchases of artists from German, Austria and Italy.<ref name=":0" />

In 1982, he was one of the organisers and the artistic director of Documenta 7 in Kassel in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web |title=documenta 7 - Retrospective - documenta |url=https://www.documenta.de/en/retrospective/documenta_7 |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.documenta.de}}</ref>

Between 1984 and 1991 Fuchs was director of the Rivoli Castle Museum in Turin.<ref>https://www.castellodirivoli.org/en/mostra/ouverture-2024/</ref>

Between 1987 and 1993 he was director of the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague, leaving a deficit of over four million guilders. He later admitted "to having no talent for administrative affairs."<ref>{{in lang|nl}} AB, "[http://www.propriacures.nl/?p=4909 AB trekt het stekkie eruit: Fuchsia]", ''Propria Cures'', 2012.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pontzen |first=Rutger |date=2003-04-03 |title=Eigenzinnig en met talent voor controverse |url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/cultuur-media/eigenzinnig-en-met-talent-voor-controverse~bc652d46/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=de Volkskrant |language=nl-NL}}</ref>

In February 1993 he became director of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. At first he was general director, later director of art. He worked at the museum until 1 January 2003. His farewell was overshadowed by suspicions concerning the possible non payment of import duties from the US over four paintings and a sculpture by the artist Karel Appel.<ref>{{Cite web |last=verslaggever |first=Van onze |date=2003-04-03 |title=Rudi Fuchs verdacht van kunstsmokkel |url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/cultuur-media/rudi-fuchs-verdacht-van-kunstsmokkel~b7543051/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=de Volkskrant |language=nl-NL}}</ref><ref>{{in lang|nl}} Pieter van Os, "[http://www.groene.nl/2003/32/de-eindeloze-verdachte De eindeloze verdachte]", ''De Groene Amsterdammer'', 2003.</ref> He returned to work as the Stedelijk as a guest curator for the 2016 exhibition ''Excitement'', "a survey of contemporary art produced over the last fifty years, including abstract and figurative painting, and works that have become highlights in the collections of the Stedelijk, Van Abbemuseum and the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grrr.nl |title=Excitement - exhibition by Rudi Fuchs |url=https://www.stedelijk.nl/en/exhibitions/80346 |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.stedelijk.nl |language=en}}</ref>

Fuchs also worked as a lecturer at the University of Amsterdam and independent writer. He has published widely on art as an author and art critic.

==Awards and decorations== Fuchs has received the following awards and decorations: * Knight in the Order of St. Olav (1996)<ref name="cvluf">{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.luf.nl/downloadbestanden/fuchs.doc Curriculum Vitae Rudi Fuchs], Leids Universiteits Fonds. Retrieved on 26 September 2013.</ref> * Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion (1998)<ref name="cvluf"/> * Commander in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (1998)<ref name="cvluf"/> * Commander in the Order of the Oak Crown (1999)<ref name="cvluf"/> * Officer in the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2002)<ref name="cvluf"/> * Honorary Medal for Merits toward Museum Collections (2004)<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.stedelijk.nl/nieuwsberichten/rudi-fuchs-ontvangt-museummedaille Rudi Fuchs ontvangt museummedaille], Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, 2004. Retrieved on 26 September 2013.</ref> * Honorary Medal for Art and Science (2007)<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/nieuws/nieuwsberichten/2007/oktober/eremedaille-voor-kunst-en-wetenschap-voor-rudi-fuchs-31-oktober-2007 Eremedaille voor Kunst en Wetenschap voor Rudi Fuchs], Dutch royal house, 2007. Retrieved on 26 September 2013.</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Authority control}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fuchs, Rudi}} Category:1942 births Category:Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Category:Dutch art critics Category:Dutch art historians Category:Leiden University alumni Category:Living people Category:Directors of museums in the Netherlands Category:Directors of museums in Italy Category:Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Category:People from Eindhoven Category:Directors of museums in Amsterdam