In the spotlight: 400 years of cultural heritage between India and the Netherlands

In light of the recent State Visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands to India, an exhibition titled India and the Netherlands in the Age of Rembrandt was launched at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) Museum in Mumbai. This exhibition is a collaborative effort between the CSMVS and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, featuring artworks from both museum collections. The exhibition was supported by the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Mumbai and opened by the Dutch Royal Couple on 17 October with a lamp lighting ceremony, together with representatives of both museums.

The exhibition is the first ever cooperation in India between both museums. It contains 12 objects on loan from the Rijksmuseum – including selected prints by Dutch Master Painter Rembrandt van Rijn – and 10 pieces from CSMVS' own collection. The objects on display demonstrate how painters from India and the Netherlands influenced each other in the 17th century and developed fascinating new forms of visual expression. The exhibit was conceptualized to celebrate 400 years of cultural heritage between India and the Netherlands and the 350th death anniversary of Rembrandt.

Guido Tielman, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Mumbai, says, “We are extremely happy to support this collaborative effort on the exhibition. This has been an excellent way to celebrate the 400 years of shared cultural heritage between India and the Netherlands. What I feel is quite unique about this exhibition is that it features various miniature paintings that reflect how the work of Indian and Dutch artists influenced and borrowed styles from each other. We really hope that visitors to the exhibition are as fascinated by this as we are.”

17 Oct, 2019 – 16 Dec, 2019 at the Special Exhibitions Gallery of the CSMVS in Mumbai

Are you a Dutch or Netherlands-based artist performing abroad and would you like to be in the spotlight? Send us an email with detailed information and two horizontal high res images. The editing team will make a selection and get back to you.

If you are a cultural professional who wants to go to India, feel free to contact our Head of International Cultural Policy and Coordination Margot Llompart.