From the brush manufactory to the studio and gallery house

Besides brush-making, Marianne and Hansfried Defet were particularly fascinated by contemporary art. Offering young artists a forum was an important concern for both of them, and so they founded not only the Defet Gallery in the 1960s, but also constructed a gallery building next to the factory at Gustav-Adolf-Strasse 33, in order to give aspiring and established artists every opportunity to present their works to a wide audience.

Moreover, the Galerie Defet was also active at international fairs in Basel and Cologne.

However, thanks to the successful development of the brush factory, by the end of the nineties all the space at the location was used up. To relieve the pressure, a new factory building was established nearby, which was soon too bursting at the seams, until in 2006, in a second stage of extension, the entire brush production and administration moved there. 

What to do with the abandoned properties? This question kept the Defets only briefly busy. Despite a lot of good advice, it was decided: Artists‘ studios should be built there, a painting school for children - plus workshops for screen printing and restorers. No sooner said than done. 

After a renovation period of six months, the building was opened on October 1, 2006 with sixteen artists‘ studios, a printing and photographic studio and two galleries. Even the dream of a children‘s painting school had come true. 

These activities were recognised by the Federation of German Industries in 2008 with the „German Culture Award for Small Businesses“, an honour that deeply delighted Mr. Defet. 

In conjunction with other assets, Hansfried Defet was able to put the entire house into a foundation - the Marianne and Hans Friedrich Defet Studio and Gallery House Foundation - established in 2009. 

Fortunate circumstances and a great deal of support also made it possible in 2010 to take a further step and establish the Marianne Defet Painting Scholarship, also with the kind support of the da Vinci artist brush factory. 

The first scholarship holder moved into the studio in autumn 2011. The presence and the work of young international artists in the studio also contributes to the fact that new experiences are continuously brought to the brush factory and new windows are opened. We are currently pleased to be able to support the 21st scholarship holder with materials. 

The art collection of the brush factory, founded by Mrs. and Mr. Defet, continues to be cultivated and expanded and contributes to the creative ambience in our facilities. 

In general, Marianne and Hansfried Defet‘s role as gallery owners and patrons of the arts within the city of Nuremberg and beyond will remain unforgotten.

THE MARIANNE DEFET PAINTING SCHOLARSHIP

In memory of his wife Marianne Defet (1926 - 2008), Hans Defet established the Marianne Defet Painting Scholarship, which is funded by the „Atelier- und Galeriehaus Marianne und Hans Friedrich Defet Stiftung“ and the da Vinci artist brush factory. This scholarship is dedicated to young international artistic positions who work predominantly in the medium of painting and is awarded twice a year. The scholarship holders are awarded alternately by the Art Society Nuremberg- „Albrecht Dürer Gesellschaft“, the Institute for Modern Art Nuremberg as well as the „Kunsthalle“ in Nuremberg.

https://atelier-galeriehaus.de/stipendien/marianne-defet-malerei-stipendium.html