The Ottema-Kingma Foundation (OKS) started its activities in 1955 after the death of notary Nanne Ottema. Its objective is ‘To promote art and cultural history in Friesland’. The OKS has more than 30,000 objects in its collection, which have been loaned to numerous museums and heritage institutions in Friesland, including the Princessehof and the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden.
The OKS acquires objects and collections that enhance the public collections in Friesland. It also promotes scientific research and supports relevant publications. The OKS also considers it its task to make the collections in Friesland accessible to a broad public, both in book form and digitally via the Internet.
Acquisition
The Princessehof’s collection was augmented in 2019 with two refined Korean porcelain bowls on long-term loan from the Ottema-Kingma Foundation. The foundation purchased these rare bowls at the museum’s request. Both bowls can be seen in the permanent exhibition From East to West.
The Ottema-Kingma Foundation sponsored the exhibition Op de thee (2014), supports scientific research into the Martaban collection and contributes to various acquisitions, including the Wave Bowl. In addition, the OKS has contributed to the Ming publication and the Album Amicorum for Eva Ströber (curator of Asian ceramics). The Ottema-Kingma Foundation also supported the refurbishing of the Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics in 2017 and the foundation made publication rights of the photos for the Fries Aardewerk website possible.
