Unforgettable

More than 40 women were active across the full spectrum of the visual arts: from painting and printmaking to sculpture, textile art and paper cutting. They worked both independently and within networks, leaving a lasting mark on the visual culture of their time.

These artists illuminate a world in which status, family and social expectations often shaped their choices, yet one in which their creativity and craftsmanship left unforgettable traces. Some achieved recognition in a male-dominated field, while others remained anonymous, even as their work helped shape the artistic landscape of the Low Countries. The oeuvres of artists such as Judith Leyster, Alida Withoos, Clara Peeters, Johanna Koerten-Block, Rachel Ruysch, Geertruydt Roghman, Anna Maria van Schurman, Maria Faydherbe, Margareta de Heer, Johanna Vergouwen, Josina Margareta Weenix and Maria Sibylla Merian show that women were present everywhere — both in their technical mastery and in their influence on contemporaries.

Thanks to intensive research, these voices from the past are brought back to life. Their work reveals a distinctive vision, a sharp eye for detail and an exceptional command of techniques and media. The exhibition offers a fresh perspective on the art history of the Low Countries, and reminds us just how indispensable women were to the development of visual culture.