Below are example themes. You can pick one, give it your own twist or ask for something else. All tours are on request, in English or Dutch.
Seventeenth century
Dutch painting from the Republic. I explain who commissioned a work, who looked at it and what to notice when you stay a little longer.
We spend time with a handful of paintings, from the fall of the light to the way a lace collar is painted. Along the way I talk about the city and the patrons they were made for.
The theme works for people seeing the famous names for the first time, and for those who know them already.
Sculpture, from antiquity to the eighteenth century
Gods and heroes in marble. I show how sculptors returned to antiquity for centuries, and which stories they told along the way.
You look at a statue up close and from a distance, and you walk around it. I tell the myth behind it, how it was made and the route it took before it reached the museum.
This theme draws on my studies in Ancient Studies and my research at the RKD into eighteenth-century Dutch sculpture.
Art market, provenance and taste
How a work of art ends up in a museum. On trade, provenance and what makes a work valuable.
Every work in a museum has a history of owners, auctions and collections. After more than eleven years at TEFAF, I talk about that side of art, which the wall label usually leaves out.
This theme suits corporate groups and people who collect.
On request
One artist, one gallery, or a museum you have wanted to see for years. Tell me what interests you and I will put a tour together.
Not every group fits a theme. Tell me what interests you, how much time you have and who is coming, and I will suggest a route.
A tour at your own pace, with time for what interests you. For family, friends or a birthday.
A museum visit that fits your programme. You agree times and wishes with me.
I plan the route around the museum’s galleries and walking routes, so the group moves smoothly.
Tours in English or Dutch, with one contact for content and planning.
If you are in the city for a few days, I help you choose which museum to visit and tell you about it.
How I guide large groupsPrices and availability on request.