Rijksmuseum Twenthe

Rijksmuseum Twenthe was established in 1930 on the initiative of the Twenthe textile baron Jan Bernard van Heek. It was initially based on some 140 works from his collection, largely paintings from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century. Many other collectors, enthusiasts, and art patrons would emulate him, contributing works of their own. The result is an encyclopedic collection spanning over seven centuries and focusing on Western art history from the Middle Ages to the present. By 2021, the collection comprised some 9,600 objects: paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, ceramics, glass, silver, kinetic and other installations, and videos. Rijksmuseum Twenthe is one of only a handful of Dutch museums that can document the development of Dutch art within the Western artistic tradition based on its own collection. Highlights from its collection of Dutch and Flemish paintings include the Portrait of an Unknown Man and the Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Joos van Cleve, Jan Steen’s The Lute Player, Jacob van Ruisdael’s The Weir and Abraham van Beijeren’s Flower Still Life with Watch. The collection’s international character is reflected in works by artists such as Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable, Alfred Sisley, and Claude Monet. The museum’s website contains more information about the individual objects in the collection, permanent displays, and temporary exhibitions.

Nelleke de Vries, Curator of Old Masters and Modern Art (March 2023)