expected
7 October 2026 to 3 October 2027
The white bonnets once worn by women in Brabant were, in Vincent van Gogh’s words, “eternally beautiful.” In Van Gogh and the Brabant Bonnet, paintings by Van Gogh are displayed alongside authentic Brabant bonnets, historical photographs and research materials. Discover why Van Gogh was so fascinated by the lace, the gauze and the many shades of white. The exhibition also reveals what a piece of clothing can tell us about who people were and how they presented themselves to the world.
Visit the exhibition
The Brabant Bonnet
In Nuenen, Van Gogh encountered the white bonnets worn by Brabant women. He found them beautiful. In one of his letters, he even described them as “eternally beautiful.” In this exhibition, Van Gogh’s paintings are shown alongside authentic Brabant bonnets, historical photographs and research materials. Discover why Van Gogh was so fascinated by the lace, the gauze and the countless shades of white. You will also see how such a simple item of clothing can reveal who people were and how they chose to present themselves to the world.
Vincent van Gogh, Kop van een vrouw (Gordina de Groot), maart-april 1885. Foto Peter Cox. Het Noordbrabants Museum, ’s-Hertogenbosch. Verworven met steun van het Museaal Aankoopfonds, Mondriaan Fonds, Stichting Ambacht en Cultuur, Vereniging Rembrandt (mede dankzij haar H.E.J. Mirandolle Fonds, haar Fonds van de Utrecht & Gooi Cirkel, haar Jheronimus Fonds en een bijzondere schenking van de Debman Stichting), VriendenLoterij, Vrienden van Het Noordbrabants Museum
Works on Display
The exhibition features paintings from the collection of Het Noordbrabants Museum, including Head of a Woman (Gordina de Groot). Paintings on loan from the Van Gogh Museum are also on display, including Woman Winding Yarn.
