new portraits of antony kok in verwey and his inspiration

In the exhibition Verwey and his inspiration The second installment in the series of portrait drawings Kees Verwey made of poet Antony Kok is now on display. These works, from the Rijksmuseum collection, can be admired until November 9, 2025.

The portrait drawings are displayed alongside works by luminaries such as George Breitner, Isaac Israels, Corneille, Leo Gestel, Jan and Charley Toorop, Willem Witsen, Floris Verster, Henri Boot, Karel Appel, Eugène Brands, and Jan Sluijters. This is a unique opportunity to experience Verwey's contemporaries and sources of inspiration up close.

Intensive cooperation
Antony Kok played a prominent role in Verwey's development. In 1953, Kok knocked unannounced at Spaarne 108, Kees Verwey's studio, with the words: "I'm Kok from De Stijl!" After Verwey invited him in, he continued: "Chaos reigns here." Why Kok visited Verwey was unclear; he may have been seeking connections with the HaarlemVerwey, in turn, was fascinated by Kok: "There was something in his appearance, especially the curious shape of his head, that interested me." From that moment on, an intensive collaboration began, resulting in nearly fifty portraits of Kok, in which Verwey experimented with formats, paper tones, technique, and style. Verwey felt the urge to capture the versatility of Kok's thinking by each time portraying a different side of his complex personality. 

Guided tours
Our tour guides are happy to tell you more about Verwey and his inspiration. Want to book a tour? Click here.