Art behind the front door

When walking through Voorschoten, you can sometimes catch a glimpse of the interiors of the houses, for example through a window or a front door that is open for a moment. What would it look like inside? The curators of the new exhibition at Museum Voorschoten wondered the same thing. They were not interested in the interior design, but in the art hanging on the walls or displayed on the sideboards. Would there be beautiful and interesting paintings, prints and objects? You bet there would!

Several residents of Voorschoten were willing to lend their artworks for the duration of this exhibition. The selected works were created between the mid-19th century and around 1960, a period referred to in art history as “modern art”. During this period, artists working in a traditional style coexisted alongside artists who were innovating. This diversity is also reflected in the exhibition.

What is there to see? In a homely setting – behind the front door, after all – works by artists from Voorschoten such as Harm Kamerlingh Onnes and Willem Schrofer shine. The Leiden School is also present, with intimate paintings by Chris van der Windt, among others. There is a photograph by Eva Besnyö, and the art movement “De Stijl” is represented by Bart van der Leck. Among many others, the names of very famous artists such as Mesdag and Sluijters stand out. All in all, it is a fascinating overview of works of art collected by residents of Voorschoten. Some talk about their collection and the works that will be on display in the museum on video, while others prefer to remain anonymous.