An upcoming exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam will bring together for the first time all versions of Girl in a Kimono by the Rotterdam born artist George Hendrick Breitner. Regarded as an icon of Japonism the works emerged between 1893 and 1896. The exhibition, which runs from February 20 to May 22, displays the full series of 14 paintings. Included is a hitherto unknown Girl in a Red Kimono from a private collection. The exhibition will include drawings, sketches and photographs used by the artist in preparation.
The sitter was Geesje Kwak who posed for the painter between the ages of 16 and 18. From a Zaandam family of bargees she moved to Amsterdam in 1880. Her young, innocent face and slender body contribute significantly to the appearance of delicate sensuality that characterises the entire series. She posed alternately in a red, a white and a blue Japanese kimono. From the time of his stay in Paris in 1884, where Japonism dominated the fashion scene, Breitner was fascinated by Japanese art.
George Hendrik Breitner – Girl in a red kimono.
George Hendrik Breitner – Girl in white kimono.