CHRIS STOLWIJK
general director of the RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History
LINKS
RKD website
Chris Stolwijk
Chris Stolwijk (1966) studied Political Science and Art History at the Vrije Universiteit and Utrecht University. Here he obtained his PhD in 1997 for research into the position of art and artists in the Netherlands, ca. 1850-1900. After working as an assistant professor at Utrecht University and successively as Curator of Research, Head of Research and Head of Collections, Presentation and Research at the Van Gogh Museum, he was appointed general director of the RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History at the end of 2012. Since 2017, he is also professor of Dutch art history in an international context, ca. 1800-1940 at Utrecht University.
Chris Stolwijk led several extensive research projects, including a series of file catalogues, the Van Gogh Letters Project and Van Gogh's Studio Practice. He has collaborated on numerous international exhibitions, such as Theo van Gogh (1999), Vincent's Choice (2003), Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night (2009-10), Paul Gauguin: the Breakthrough to Modernity (2009-2010) and Van Gogh & Nature (2015).
The focus of his substantive contribution is on Western European (painting) art from the period c. 1800 – c. 1920 with specific interest in the life and work of Vincent van Gogh and his circle, the history of art history, collecting history, socio-economic aspects of art and artistry including the professionalization of the art market, museumization and Digital Art History. This interest is reflected in numerous publications and other contributions. As general director of the RKD, he and his colleagues and collaborating partners want to allow people everywhere in the world to share in the art treasures of the Netherlands.
Additional functions
– Professor of Dutch Art History, Utrecht University
– Chairman of the General Board of the Art History Research School (OSK)
– Chair Association of Research Institutes in the History of Art (RIHA)
– Member of the board Brokken Zijp Foundation
– Member of the board of Biographical Portal
– Member Beirat Kunstbibliothek Köln
– Member of the Advisory Board of the Royal Archaeological Society (KOG)
– Member of the Advisory Board of the Faculty of Humanities, Vrije Universiteit
– Member of the Recommendation Committee of the Willem Witsen Foundation
– Member Forum Society Municipality of Oudewater
Publications (selection
– From the painting world (1998)
– Theo van Gogh: art dealer, collector and brother of Vincent (1999)
– The account book of Theo van Gogh and Jo van Gogh-Bonger (2002)
– Vincent's Choice (2003)
– A decade of collecting, 1997-2006 (2006)
– Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night (2009)
– Van Gogh & Nature (2105)
– Thannhauser and Van Gogh (2016)
- Vincent van Gogh. All works in the Kröller-Müller Museum (2020)
