Bart van der Leck / Charley Toorop
26 September 2026 - 1 September 2027
This exhibition focuses on two artist friends who, in the early twentieth century, developed styles that were entirely their own yet completely different: Bart van der Leck (1876–1958) and Charley Toorop (1891–1955).
Charley Toorop, Group Portrait of H.P. Bremmer and His Wife with Contemporary Artists, 1936-1938
Collected by Helene
The Kröller-Müller Museum holds a large collection of works by both Van der Leck and Toorop, acquired by Helene Kröller-Müller (1869–1939) herself. Art adviser Henk Bremmer (1871–1956) introduced her to the two artists. Helene supported their careers by commissioning works and purchasing their art.
Group portrait
At the centre of the exhibition hangs a painting by Charley Toorop in which the art world comes together. In this group portrait of Bremmer and his wife, she depicts artists for whom he is a mentor, including Van der Leck. Van der Leck occupies a central position in the painting. Toorop says of this: ‘I placed him in the middle because that is what he is to Bremmer…’ She paints herself in the top-left corner.
Two artists, two directions
On one side of the exhibition, you are introduced to the work of Van der Leck. You can see how he increasingly reduces visible reality to lines and planes in primary colours.
On the other side, you will see the work of Toorop. She, by contrast, remains close to reality. Through her realism, she depicts people and situations in a way that is often raw and confrontational. Her poignant self-portraits are particularly striking.
Highlights in the exhibition
A shared view of society
Bart van der Leck and Charley Toorop shared socialist ideals and believed that art could contribute to a better society. When Toorop stayed with Van der Leck and his family for a period during the Second World War, they had endless discussions on the subject.
Van der Leck places the everyday life of the working class at the heart of his work. He paints farmers, factory workers and miners. Toorop also focuses on the harsh reality of a life of hard labour, for example in the Belgian mining region of the Borinage. And on people on the fringes of society, of whom she creates haunting portraits.
Thus, you discover that Van der Leck and Toorop have more in common than meets the eye.
Visit the exhibition
Discover the works of Charley Toorop and Bart van der Leck at the Kröller-Müller Museum.
