A Diary of Things

How does artwork end up in a museum? Who has owned the work before, and how has it been viewed over time? A Diary of Things explores the life histories of artworks before they entered the collection of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. Some were donated or purchased, while others were looted, sold, cut apart, or rejected.

This exhibition follows three paintings from Rotterdam around 1700, each with its own story. Adriaen van der Werff’s Diana and Callisto has a richly documented history. The painting was originally a personal gift to the artist’s wife before it became a treasured museum piece. On the other hand, little is known about the early ownership of Abraham Hondius’s Boar Hunt and Bear Hunt, for a long time, the paintings even vanished completely out of sight.

Cover image: Installation view of A Diary of Things, Boijmans van Beuningen Depot, 2026, Rotterdam