Nightlife

With Nightlife, Museum van Bommel van Dam brings together the work of artist couple Hanny Korevaar (1893-1983) and Armand Bouten (1893-1965) for the first time in thirty-five years. From the turbulent 20s to the impoverished post-war years, they painted what their contemporaries preferred not to see: the frayed edges of the city. Alleyways, cafés, terraces, dance halls and brothels form the backdrop for scenes of poverty, longing and vulnerability.

Only in recent decades has interest in these expressionists begun to grow. The equally talented Korevaar long stood in the shadow of her husband. The exhibition Nightlife – Hanny Korevaar and Armand Bouten now introduces a broad audience to the raw, compelling and surprisingly modern works of both artists. At the same time, it gives the long-overlooked Korevaar the attention she deserves.

Cover image: Hanny Korevaar with Vrouw in stad Parijs (Woman in Paris City), c. 1925 | photo: Netherlands Institute for Art History