Waanders – serie

This richly illustrated publication accompanies a major exhibition organised by Kunstmuseum Den Haag in collaboration with Tate, exploring the School of London — a group of postwar artists who redefined figurative painting in Britain. Featuring more than 70 works by Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, David Hockney, Paula Rego, Frank Auerbach, and their contemporaries, the book traces how these painters captured the human condition in an era of social and cultural upheaval. While Paris and New York led the charge in abstraction, London fostered a quieter yet profound revolution centered on the human body and psyche. Through essays and artworks, the catalogue reveals how these artists grappled with shifting notions of identity, intimacy, and power, offering a compelling perspective on 20th-century art and reaffirming London’s role as a crucible of postwar creativity.

“… In fact, my entire journey through Amsterdam’s vibrant house museums was one great historical sensation in a variety of contexts. I followed in the footsteps of Dutch East India Company directors, workers, orphans, writers, artists, architects, and many others, seeing how they lived and worked. How they ate in poverty-stricken 19th-century slums or at lavishly laid tables in canal-side mansions of Van Loon or Bartolotti. How they prayed in secret with Father Parmentier in a clandestine attic church. I am not longer just an Amsterdammer: now I’m an Amsterdammer with a past." - Froukje Wattel.Text in English and Dutch.

What happens when two art forms – the literary and the visual arts – come together? For its bicentenary, the Mauritshuis asked 200 writers to draw inspiration from the museum’s collection. The crème de la crème of today's literary community, from at home and abroad, participated in this remarkable book. One writer; one work of art from the Mauritshuis; 200 words per contribution – never before have so many authors appeared together in a single publication. To name just a few of the contributors: Isabel Allende, Margaret Atwood, Nicci French, Arnon Grunberg, Murat Isik, Hilary Mantel, Cees Nooteboom, Jan Cremer, Connie Palmen, Sholeh Rezazadeh, Simon Schama and Donna Tartt. The authors themselves were allowed to decide what they wanted to write and the amazing result is stories, poems, short reflections, drawings and even a recipe.

Looted Art & Restitution relates the history of the trade, looting and restitution of works of art from the Netherlands before, during and after World War II. Countless artworks ended up in German hands during the occupation. The allies recovered a large number of works of art to the Netherlands after the war. It was the Dutch government’s task to return looted or forcibly sold works to their original owners. The mostly Jewish claimants, however, often encountered bureaucratic and unwilling authorities. Meanwhile, most of the artworks were distributed over museums and depots or auctioned off.It was not until the late 1990s that, in accordance with international developments, the restitution policy became much more humane and a search for the rightful owners was implemented.

Reality Check shows an overview of a decade of Dutch realism in painting, photography, video, sculpture, installations, drawings and graphics. On the basis of over 50 artists - young and old, established and recently graduated - Sito Rozema - curator at Museum MORE - outlines the latest developments in realism in the Netherlands. What is it in our time that prompts the contemporary artist increasingly opt for a figurative visual language to explore reality? The catalogue, the participating artists themselves have their say: what does realism mean to them?Text in English and Dutch.

The work of Russian-French sculptor Ossip Zadkine (1888-1967) is full of mythological figures, including Diane, Narcissus and Orpheus. Zadkine particularly identified with the latter. Just as Orpheus managed with his music to prompt animals, plants and even rocks to dance, so the artist brought material to life with his hands. Zadkine therefore referred to this creative metamorphosis as “the Orphic event”. He also turned his own life story into a myth. The idea of becoming an artist had been revealed to him as a child, he said, when he had fallen with his hand in the clay. From that point on, Zadkine allowed himself to be guided by nature, which he regarded as a source of perpetual change.Text in English and Dutch.

Travel today is fast, comfortable, and accessible to many. But between the 17th and early 19th centuries, it was a privilege reserved for the elite. Young British aristocrats would embark on a Grand Tour as the final stage of their education. Italy was the highlight of this cultural journey, with visits to Rome, Florence, Venice, and Mount Vesuvius. Along the way, they admired art and architecture, forged connections, and refined their taste - often returning home with artworks and souvenirs to adorn their country estates.It wasn’t just young men who travelled; entire families journeyed across Europe in grand entourages. What inspired them to set out, which routes did they take, and what treasures did they bring back?This book explores those journeys and presents a remarkable selection of artworks brought home from three of England’s finest stately homes: Holkham Hall, Burghley House, and Woburn Abbey.

This richly illustrated publication accompanies the first comprehensive retrospective of Amrita Sher-Gil (1913–1941) in the Netherlands, one of the most celebrated figures in modern Indian art. Often called the “Frida Kahlo of India”, Sher-Gil combined elements of Western modernism with the aesthetics and subjects of traditional Indian art, forging a distinctive style that profoundly influenced later generations of artists. The book offers new insights into Sher-Gil’s life and artistic journey, from her Hungarian-Indian heritage and training in Paris to her groundbreaking work in India during the 1930s. Essays by experts from India and the Netherlands explore her cultural context, artistic development, and enduring legacy.Featuring rarely seen works from India’s national collections, this publication provides an unprecedented opportunity to rediscover an artist whose vision bridged continents and redefined modern art in the 20th century.

Highlights of the Frans Hals Museum presents a richly illustrated selection of 40 masterpieces from the diverse and expansive collection of the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem. Spanning six centuries of art, the book highlights works ranging from Old Masters to contemporary installations — including painting, photography, and video art. Both celebrated Dutch artists and internationally renowned names are represented, offering a vivid impression of the museum’s unique character and curatorial vision. Designed as both an introduction and a lasting memento, this compact volume appeals to art lovers, museum visitors, and anyone interested in Dutch cultural heritage. With its accessible bilingual format (Dutch and English), high-quality reproductions, and thoughtful presentation, the book invites readers to discover — or revisit — the stories and treasures held within one of the Netherlands’ most renowned museums.Text in English and Dutch.

This richly illustrated book follows the journeys of Dutch artist Isaac Israels (1865–1934), whose restless wanderlust took him across Europe and profoundly shaped his artistic vision. The son of painter Jozef Israels, Isaac immersed himself in the cultural life of cities such as Paris, London, and Berlin, and travelled extensively through Italy, Austria, Spain, Denmark, and Sweden. Even during the First World War, he continued to explore the continent, sketching the people and places he encountered. His dynamic paintings reveal a Europe in transition—vibrant, cosmopolitan, and increasingly modern. Through Israels’ eyes, the book reflects on themes of migration, identity, and the visual expression of “Europeanness” at the dawn of the 20th century. Presented by the Kröller-Müller Museum, home to one of the world’s foremost collections of modern art, it offers an evocative journey through both art and history.

In 1692–1693, French-Dutch architect Daniël Marot created a breathtaking illusionistic staircase at Paleis Het Loo, with painted columns, balustrades and dreamlike landscapes, brought to life by court painter Robbert Duval. This grand staircase served as a majestic entrance, instantly marking the palace as a royal domain. Over time, the paintings deteriorated and were covered, until Queen Wilhelmina commissioned a grand restoration around 1900. Artist Willem Fabri meticulously reconstructed the decorations on large canvases, enriching them with allegories of the hunt, harvest and fishing, framed by oak leaves, orange branches and royal emblems. Today, the monumental staircase remains a masterpiece of Dutch decorative painting.This richly illustrated publication offers insight into the original baroque design and its 20th-century restoration, in conjunction with a dedicated exhibition at Paleis Het Loo in April 2026.A must-read for anyone interested in Dutch royal heritage, baroque art, and the enduring power of illusion in interior design.

Rui Chafes x Alberto Giacometti: Gris Vide Cris III brings together the work of two artists separated by time, place, and visual language, yet united in their pursuit of immateriality and transcendence. This richly illustrated exhibition catalogue explores the poetic and philosophical dialogue between the Portuguese sculptor Rui Chafes (b. 1966) and the iconic Swiss modernist Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966). While Giacometti's process focused on de-materialisation to evoke the invisible, Chafes works with iron to push the boundaries of physical perception. Their shared ambition to capture stillness, silence, and the spiritual essence of form resonates throughout the book. Published alongside the exhibition at Museum Beelden aan Zee in The Hague, and co-organised by the Fondation Giacometti and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, this is the first major presentation of Chafes' work in the Netherlands. Essays and images together offer an immersive experience into the sensibilities of both artists.Text in English and Dutch.

The largest maps in the world are to be found in the floor of the Citizens' Hall, in the heart of the Royal Palace Amsterdam. The three circular mosaics, each measuring over six metres in diameter, together depict the known world and the night sky. They remain to this day an iconic and beloved part of the majestic palace, which was originally built in the mid-17th century to serve as Amsterdam's town hall. At that time, the city was the world's leading cartography centre. The prominent place of the floor maps relates directly to that primacy. This book tells the story of these unique maps and of the flourishing of cartography in Amsterdam in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Vikings and Frisians. Inhabitants of the North Sea coasts. Blond and sturdy, with shared cultural characteristics and a similar language. Almost like family. Or were they? From 810 AD onwards Frisia, at that time part of the Frankish empire, suffered fierce Viking raids. What were the consequences of these devastating dragon ship attacks on Frisia, the elongated coastal area between the Zwin and the Weser? Were all Frisians opposed to Viking aggression, or did they occasionally turnViking themselves? Critically questioning accustomed sources, We Vikings aims to unearth fresh material from a long-lost landscape and to offer a new perspective on existing ideas.

Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot is not just the oldest castle in the Netherlands. It is a magical place, surrounded by water and vegetation. The castle gardens feature lots of heritage varieties: vegetables, herbs, fruit, herbaceous plants and flowers (some of them edible). The produce from the gardens was for centuries used to prepare the exquisitemeals at the castle. And the gardens still produce a rich harvest everyyear. Muiderslot is also part of the Amsterdam Defence Line, a World Heritage Site. The castle gardens are open daily, offering visitors the chance to enjoy this lush part of our heritage.

The Cold War is over - yet signs of it still exist. For forty years, the Iron Curtain divided the countries of Europe into East and West. The arms race was unleashed, nuclear fallout shelters were constructed, and everyone braced for the worst. Dutch photographer Martin Roemers (1962) spent ten years in search of the traces of this period, travelling through the countries of former enemies on both sides of the line. He explored and photographed abandoned underground tunnels, former barracks, rotting tanks, and destroyed monuments. His photographs, which are presented here with essays by H.J.A. Hofland and Nadine Barth, are a stark and moving document of this era of hostility, deterrence politics, and the arms race - and also serve as an appeal for future peace.Text in English and Dutch.

The monumental 17th century Solebay Tapestry series captures the first major naval battle of the third Anglo-Dutch war (1672-1674), which took place off the coast of England. Of the 12 tapestries created after drawings by the artist Willem van de Velde the Elder (who witnessed the battle firsthand), two are in the collection of the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam. The first tapestry shows the burning of the flagship of the English fleet, the Royal James. The other depicts the two war fleets as they line up in a long line, ready to continue the battle the next morning. This is the first book in a series that highlights the objects in the National Maritime Museum of the Netherlands.

Taking four themes as its starting point, this book reveals the strong interconnectedness of Ukraine's turbulent history, the country's permanent social and political unrest and the work of Ukrainian artists. Against Oppression, Forgotten Histories, Spaces of Freedom and Thoughts on the Future each reflect the dynamic between the drive for freedom and the mechanisms of oppression.