Christoffel & Kate Bisschop: longing for the past

About Christoffel and Kate

After the exhibition on the renowned painter Alma-Tadema, the Fries Museum is organising a new exhibition on another formidable yet forgotten painter: Christoffel Bisschop (1828-1904). Besides tranquil Hindelooper interiors, the artist also liked to paint women daydreaming by a window or reading a Bible, all with echoes of the past. Because of his powerful use of colour and radiant lighting effects, Christoffel was soon nicknamed the ‘painter of radiant effect’. Having worked hard in her native London, Kate had also developed as a successful artist. After marrying Christoffel in 1869 and living together in The Hague, Kate managed to become the first female working member of the Hague artists’ society Pulchri Studio. She specialised in simple interiors with mothers and young children. However, despite how popular they both were in their time, Christoffel and Kate have since been forgotten by the general public. The Fries Museum intends to change that with this major exhibition.