Wessel Couzijn. Rendezvous of Table and Chair
17 January 2026 - 1 November 2026
In our permanent collection, an impressive work by Wessel Couzijn is highlighted. During the Second World War, he witnessed the evil that humans are capable of. After this period, Couzijn chooses to focus on major themes such as death, love, despair, hope, oppression and freedom in his work. Rendezvous of Table and Chair constitutes a scene of destruction that dominates the entire exhibition space.
‘In sculpture, I found the opportunity to say what I wanted to say. For me, it is a means of responding to human existence in its entirety.’
Wessel Couzijn, Rendezvous of Table and Chair, 1964-1965
Erratic bronze forms
Rendezvous of Table and Chair (1964–1965) by Wessel Couzijn (1913–1984) is a work full of tension and movement. Two tattered pieces of bronze lie draped over half a table and a chair. The erratic bronze forms evoke a human or animal figure. Here, the dishevelled creatures meet.
Wessel Couzijn, Stonewriters part 2, 1966
Innovator
Wessel Couzijn is one of the most important artists in Dutch post-war sculpture. In the 1950s and 1960s, he brings innovation with his open forms and striking effects of light and shadow. He also creates drawings and prints. In addition to Rendezvous of Table and Chair, the presentation includes the colourful series of prints Stonewriters. Here Couzijn combines various printing techniques.
