11 February 2017 till 21 May 2017

Peter Vos – Youthful Virtuosity

Prints, drawings and illustrated letters 1952-1970

Birds, fantasy creatures, mythological scenes and erotic tableaux abound in the richly imaginative oeuvre of Peter Vos (1935-2010). The exhibition in the Berlage Room presents the finest autonomous works from his student years in the 1950s and through to 1970. The Gemeentemuseum’s own collection of his drawings and prints, assembled prior to 1970 by private collector Cees Kuijlman, is supplemented by items from other collections. In addition to drawings, these include unique illustrated letters and booklets created for friends and loved ones.

Peter Vos, Casanova, 1966, pen in black and brush in watercolour/pen in black, 238 x 194 mm

Peter Vos, Casanova, 1966, pen in black and brush in watercolour/pen in black, 238 x 194 mm

Peter Vos, Casanova, 1966
Peter Vos, Leaping Pegasus, 1963, pen in black, 190 x 268 mm

Peter Vos, Leaping Pegasus, 1963, pen in black, 190 x 268 mm

Peter Vos, Leaping Pegasus, 1963
Peter Vos, Self-portrait, 1966, ink and brush in grey, diameter 98 mm (Collection Rijksmuseum. Gift of Mrs. W. Schumacher, Amsterdam)

Peter Vos, Self-portrait, 1966, ink and brush in grey, diameter 98 mm (Collection Rijksmuseum. Gift of Mrs. W. Schumacher, Amsterdam)

Peter Vos, Self-portrait, 1966
Peter Vos, Men jumping and standing on their hands, 1963, pen in black, 94 x 248 mm

Peter Vos, Men jumping and standing on their hands, 1963, pen in black, 94 x 248 mm

Peter Vos, Men jumping and standing on their hands, 1963
Artists’ Heaven (Rembrandt, Toulouse Lautrec and Goya playing billiards), 1964, pen and brush in shades of grey, 200 x 170 mm, private collection

Artists’ Heaven (Rembrandt, Toulouse Lautrec and Goya playing billiards), 1964, pen and brush in shades of grey, 200 x 170 mm, private collection

Artists’ Heaven (Rembrandt, Toulouse Lautrec and Goya playing billiards), 1964

Art historian Eddy de Jongh and guest curator Jan Piet Filedt Kok have produced (together with Saïda Vos-Lokhorst) an anthology of Vos’s finest illustrated letters, many of which are also on show in the exhibition. The book, Peter Vos – Getekende brieven, is to be published by Rubinstein at the end of January.