Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Unveils 'Women on Paper' Exhibition, Highlighting Four Centuries of Female Artists
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is currently featuring "Women on Paper," a new exhibition dedicated to celebrating the impactful contributions of female artists throughout history. Opening on December 5, 2022, this display showcases a diverse collection of drawings, prints, and photographs by notable figures such as Gesina ter Borch, Berthe Morisot, Käthe Kollwitz, and Julia Margaret Cameron. The exhibition also includes recent acquisitions by artists like Cornelia de Rijck and Thérèse Schwartze.
"Women on Paper" is the result of an extensive, long-term study aimed at comprehensively assessing works by women artists within the Rijksmuseum's collection. This research seeks to achieve a more balanced representation in both the museum's holdings and its exhibitions. The project and the exhibition itself have received support from the Women of the Rijksmuseum Fund. Visitors can explore "Women on Paper" in the print cabinets, with the exhibition running from December 3, 2022, to June 5, 2023.
Spotlighting Female Artists Across Four Centuries at the Rijksmuseum
The exhibition underscores the significant presence of women artists in the realm of art on paper. Historically, women often received artistic training within their family environments, and the creation and publication of prints frequently operated as a family business. The section dedicated to the 15th and 16th centuries highlights the achievements of independent and entrepreneurial engravers like Diana Mantuana and Barbara van den Broeck.
Moving into the 17th century, the focus shifts to figures such as Magdalena de Passe, an engraver whose work was highly acclaimed, and Gesina ter Borch, who came from an artistic family and devoted her life to art. Ter Borch's display includes distinctive watercolors known for their originality, humor, and beauty, alongside personal poems and drawings by her and her family.
The 18th-century print cabinet explores artists whose precise and vibrant watercolors of flora and fauna significantly contributed to the developing natural sciences. Artists such as Dorothea Maria Graff and Alida Withoos, whose travels led them to distant places like Suriname, are featured for their detailed botanical observations.
The exhibition concludes with a look at the 19th century, presenting works by artists including Thérèse Schwartze, Lizzy Ansingh, Julia Margaret Cameron, and Eva Watson-Schütze. This era saw the emergence of exhibition circuits for drawings and pastels, offering many women artists recognition and commercial success. The rise of photography also provided a new artistic medium that women readily adopted for its diverse creative possibilities.
Enhance Your Visit: Audio Tour Available
To enrich the visitor experience, a complimentary audio tour is available for the "Women on Paper" exhibition. This tour can be accessed free of charge through the official Rijksmuseum app.
Beyond 'Women on Paper': Other Current Exhibitions at the Rijksmuseum
In addition to "Women on Paper," the Rijksmuseum is hosting several other notable exhibitions:
- Irma Boom: Art + Books: On view until May 7, 2023, this exhibition celebrates over two decades of partnership with Irma Boom. It displays more than 30 of her uniquely conceptualized books, some without ink or consisting solely of covers, alongside artworks from the Rijksmuseum collection that have served as her inspiration.
- Modern Japanese Prints: Running until April 16, 2023, this display features sixty prints from the Für Elise Foundation donation. It explores the evolution of the shin-hanga and sōsaku-hanga movements in the early 20th century, reflecting themes of innovation, modern life, and a longing for the past through the variety of Elise Wessels’ collection.
- Duurzaam / Sustain / Tene: Closing on January 15, 2023, this exhibition presents Sharelly Emanuelson’s work for Document Nederland. It investigates the relationship between humans and their environment in the Netherlands and the six Dutch Caribbean islands, examining climate change and the daily impact of human actions.
To discover more about cultural events and plan your visits to museums and exhibitions in Amsterdam, explore Musemap (musemap.art). You can find more museums in Amsterdam or browse what's on exhibitions throughout the city.
