This autumn, the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem presents Coba Ritsema: An Eye for Color — the first solo exhibition dedicated to Coba Ritsema’s work in 75 years. This exhibition marks both the 150th anniversary of her birth and the 75th anniversary of her last exhibition at the same museum, and runs from 19 September 2025 to 1 March 2026.
Coba was once among the most admired Dutch artists of her generation. Her portraits and still lifes were shown across Europe and beyond, earning her awards and critical praise. She exhibited in Paris, Venice, the United States and Israel and received a medal at the Brussels World Exhibition. In 1918 she won a Royal medal offered to her by Queen Wilhelmina, and in 1957 won the Rembrandt prize, which was a prize awarded by the city of Amsterdam every five years. Yet, despite this recognition, her name slowly faded from memory.
Although not declaring herself as a feminist or doing feminist work, Coba was a woman ahead of her times. She was born into a creative Haarlem family, and received early encouragement to pursue art, which was something uncommon for women of those times. She studied first at the local School of Arts and Crafts in Haarlem, and later at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam, one of the few institutions to offer full-time courses for women. Her early years were marked by both opportunity and limitation: women could study painting but were barred from certain subjects, like painting nudes, and going out to paint a landscape required having a chaperone. As a result, she focused on what was accessible: interiors, still lifes, and portraits. There were mundane subjects, but she turned them into her strength, creating beautiful images that drew the viewer in through their silent power.
She worked in a studio in Amsterdam that became her world; it was tastefully decorated with textiles, antiques, and flowers that appeared again and again in her compositions. She became known for her “girls seen from behind,” quiet scenes that invite the viewer into moments of reflection. Her colour palette, dominated by soft greens, blues, and creams, brought a sense of calm and harmony, while her brushwork remained confident and expressive.
Learning about her life can only be described as inspirational. This was a woman who stayed true to herself and worked until her 80s. Her little studio in Amsterdam was at the 4th floor of a building, and she still climbed those stairs every day with determination. She even had a chair placed on every floor to stop and rest before going further!
For the Frans Hals Museum, the exhibition is both a rediscovery and a homecoming. Coba Ritsema admired Hals throughout her career, drawing inspiration from his bold technique and expressive portraits. She also had a strong connection to the Frans Hals Museum itself, a place she visited multiple times during her life in Haarlem. Her return to the museum that celebrates Haarlem’s artistic legacy feels like a fitting tribute.
Coba Ritsema: An Eye for Color invites today’s visitors to look again and to reconsider a painter who once held the art world’s attention, only to be silenced by history’s shifting taste.
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