From 19 September 2025 to 18 January 2026, The Mesdag Collection presents a survey exhibition of the work of Barbara van Houten.
At the centre of the screen is Van Houten’s father Samuel (the man behind the first Dutch law to limit child labour), surrounded by his children and grandchildren. The collector couple Sientje and Hendrik Willem Mesdag-Van Houten also feature prominently, emphasizing the close bond between the two families. They each contributed a small painting to the folding screen. On the reverse are decorations by grandson Hendrik Willem Mouton, personal birthday greetings, and an etched flower still life by Van Houten.
Barbara van Houten produced colourful drawings, watercolours and paintings, explored woodwork, and specialized in etching – a medium in which she truly excelled. She saw beauty in the little things around her: a colourful bouquet of flowers on a table, a painting hanging on the wall at the Mesdags’ house, her half-sister Marie Anna, and the way light fell into a room. She drew inspiration from her immediate surroundings.
When it came to her art, Van Houten knew what she wanted and took little notice of what others thought. She was one of the few female artists of her time to practise etching. She was outspoken and unafraid to voice her dissent. Now, 75 years after Van Houten’s death, her work is being displayed for the first time in the Mesdags’ former residence: a place that Van Houten knew well, and where she created many artworks.
The Mesdag Collection houses the largest public collection of works by Barbara van Houten. Some of these were collected by the Mesdags themselves, while others were subsequently acquired by the museum – including a major private donation in 2023. A dozen etchings and drawings from this donation are now on display in the exhibition.
In this video (in Dutch), paper restorer Linde Akkerman and exhibition curator Merle Janssen discuss the etching Trial Proof for Sientje Mesdag-van Houten at the table by lamplight, created in the Mesdags' home.
They discuss the restoration process and the creation of the exhibition Barbara van Houten – In the Light of the Mesdags.
