The Hague Picture Museum Acquires 341 Photos by Eva Besnyö, Plans Retrospective Exhibition

The Hague Picture Museum has bought 341 pictures by Eva Besnyö. The museum therefore has the largest collection of Besnyö paintings in the Netherlands and plans to hold a comprehensive retrospective exhibition at the end of next year.

Eva Besnyö (Budapest 1910 – Laren 2003) is considered one of the country’s most influential photographers. Her most important work is represented in the collection of the Museum of Photography. These pictures were printed under his direction.

Famous pictures from the collection include a picture of a little boy with a cello and pictures of friends from the art world, such as Charley Toorop and Violette Cornelius. There are also street scenes with the shadow play that characterizes it.

Besnyö, who lived in Amsterdam from 1931, is seen as one of the pioneers of the New Photography movement and therefore played an important role in the development of Dutch photography in the 20th century. According to the museum, her commitment to equal rights for women proves a very committed outlook on life. She used her work as a way to draw attention to women’s rights.

The paintings were in the possession of Besnyö’s daughter. The museum received support for purchases from private individuals and the Erik Bos Fund, which was established specifically for purchases from the Fotomuseum and the Kunstmuseum Den Haag.