The Jan van der Togt Museum existed for 25 years in 2016. That jubilee was celebrated in grandeur from 15 September 2016 to 8 January 2017 with three exhibitions, under the name '25 years Jan ':' Sam Francis & Friends - Ting, Appel and Alechinsky ',' Jan van der Togt & Jan Verschoor - A friendship 'and the opening of the new museum wing' De Schatkamer '.

"Friendship" is a common thread running through the history of Museum Jan van der Togt. The exhibition "25 years of Jan" tells the story of the warm bond between art collector and museum founder Jan van der Togt and artist Jan Verschoor, who was director of the museum for almost 25 years.

With Verschoor at his side, Van der Togt built a large collection of paintings by Sam Francis. The exhibition "Sam Francis & Friends" shows extraordinary early works by Francis, so loved by the collector, and his artist friends Walasse Ting, Karel Appel and Pierre Alechinsky.

In addition to images by Verschoor and paintings by Francis, Van der Togt also mainly collected glass art. The highlights from this international art collection will be given a permanent place in the new museum wing.

JAN VAN DER TOGT & JAN VERSCHOOR

The foundation of Museum Jan van der Togt in 1991 is preceded by years of friendship between Jan van der Togt, founder of the well-known Tomado factory, and Jan Verschoor. Van der Togt not only collected works of art from Verschoor, but also let him advise him on expanding his collection. Verschoor introduced Van der Togt to various art forms and artists. Similarly with the work of Sam Francis.

In 1990 they visited an exhibition of Francis together at the artists' society Arti et Amicitiae in Amsterdam. The work of the American artist impressed Van der Togt so much that he started to build up an extensive collection. Two years later Van der Togt and Verschoor visited an exhibition of Francis in the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn. There they met Francis, but also his artist friends Walasse Ting and Karel Appel.

SAM FRANCIS & FRIENDS

Sam Francis lived and worked in Paris in the 1950s. He became friends there with, among others, Walasse Ting, Karel Appel and Pierre Alechinsky. Over the years the artists have succeeded in inspiring each other in their work. Occasionally they even made art together. An example of this is the painting "à deux pinceaux" made by Ting and Alechinsky, which was also on display in the exhibition.

The emphasis of the exhibition was mainly on the Paris period - 1950s and 60s. Among other things, less well-known abstract works by Ting can be seen, as well as special paintings by Francis inspired by Claude Monet's water lilies. The exhibition also shows a poetic correspondence between Ting and Francis and colorful costumes by the Chinese-American artist that has never been exhibited before.

THE TREASURE

To be able to present the permanent collection even more beautifully, Museum Jan van der Togt opened a new wing with two spacious exhibition halls. "The Treasure Chamber" permanently houses the highlights of the international art collection: the leading glass collection and paintings by Sam Francis. The exhibition area of ​​the museum increases with 300 m2.