Art History of the Netherlands - 20th century

Host - Ludo van Halem, Curator of 20th-Century Art

01/01/2022 - Rijksmuseum

The 20th century saw a whirlwind of developments, form the aeroplane to abstract art.

For the first time there were artists who no longer painted what they could see around them – no more landscapes, still lifes or portraits, but only lines and planes, often in bright colours. This movement is exemplified by Piet Mondriaan and the artists of De Stijl. Artists also saw themselves as being able to shape a new world of the future that would be better, fairer, freer. They designed utopian visions, such as the ‘city’ of New Babylon by Constant Nieuwenhuis.

In the same period, however – before the Second World War – yet another movement saw artists such as Carel Willink and Charley Toorop returning to a more figurative, representational style.

After the Second World War, Karel Appel embarked on a radical search for freedom in his painting, and all the rules of the previous centuries were abandoned.

This final episode gives an impression of the whirlwind of art forms, both abstract and figurative, that is so characteristic of the 20th century.

See the Rijksstudio collection with a selection of the art that will be discussed in this episode.

Square Man Square Man

Square Man Karel Appel, oil on canvas, 1951

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Eight Stacked Beams Eight Stacked Beams

Eight Stacked Beams Carel Visser (1928–2015), iron, 1964

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In this episode

Middle Ages: what’s in this and the other episodes?

Host - Frits Scholten, Curator of Sculpture

Renaissance: what’s in this episode?

Host - Ilona van Tuinen, Head of the Print Room

First half of the 17th century: what’s in this episode?

Host - Taco Dibbits, General Director

Second half of the 17th century: what’s in this episode?

Host - Femke Diercks, Head of Decorative Arts

18th century: what’s in this episode?

Host - Reinier Baarsen, Curator of Furniture

19th century: what’s in this episode?

Host - Jenny Reynaerts, Curator of 18th- and 19th-century Paintings

20th century: what’s in this episode?

Host - Ludo van Halem, Curator of 20th-Century Art