For the first time since 1994, a new biography on the great master George Hendrik Breitner has been published. This highly anticipated publication accompanies the major exhibition “Schilderbeest” Breitner at Singer Laren, where the versatility and progressive nature of the artist are central. The book is now available at Kunsthuis André in Middelburg.
Breitner Rediscovered: More Progressive Than Thought
George Hendrik Breitner (1857-1923) is known as ‘the painter of Amsterdam’ and ‘Dutch impressionist’, but is he really that one-dimensional? The new book explores Breitner’s artistic genius through six themes – practice, figure, light/dark, line, movement, and colour. It reveals that his unique use of line and colour was far more innovative than previously thought, playing a significant role in the emergence of modernism in the Netherlands.
Exhibition at Singer Laren
The exhibition at Singer Laren, curated by guest curator and author Suzanne Veldink, offers an extensive look at Breitner’s oeuvre. Featuring more than 70 paintings and works on paper, Veldink presents both crowd favourites such as the kimono girls, and lesser-known works, including raw, uncompromising nudes. These surprises place his more familiar works in a new perspective, bringing us closer to the nineteenth-century interpretations and the artist’s intentions.
Modern Pioneer
Breitner’s choice of subjects served as a means to experiment with line and colour, well ahead of his time. His groundbreaking approach laid the foundations for modernism in the Netherlands, a theme deeply embedded in Singer Laren’s mission. The exhibition highlights this pioneering role with special loans from both domestic and international collections, including works from Fondation Custodia, Musée d’Orsay, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, the Dordrechts Museum, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, and numerous international private collections.
About the Author
Suzanne Veldink, with a passion for French and Dutch art of the 19th century, is an experienced curator and exhibition maker. She previously worked at institutions such as Glasgow Museums, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Rijksmuseum. For this biography and exhibition, she returns to the core of Breitner’s artistry, revealing the influential and innovative aspects of his work.
Book Details
- Format: 23 x 28 cm
- Number of pages: 144
- Special features: In collaboration with Singer Laren
- Illustrations: Approximately 70 colour images
- Language: Dutch
- Binding: Hardcover
- Price: Euro 29.95
The book is now available at Kunsthuis André in Middelburg. The exhibition “Schilderbeest” Breitner and the accompanying book offer a fresh and in-depth look at one of the Netherlands’ greatest masters.
