Vermeer’s Delft in Museum Prinsenhof Delft, together with Vermeer in the Rijksmuseum, was chosen by a majority of votes as the winner of the Museum Magazine’s Exhibition Prize 2023. On 4th October they received the award together with the Rijkmuseum from jury chairman Cathelijne Broers, director of the Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund.
More than 12,000 museum enthusiasts cast their votes. According to voters, the two exhibitions complemented each other seamlessly. While the art-historical view prevailed in the Rijksmuseum, Vermeer really came to life in Museum Prinsenhof Delft. The care with which both exhibitions were created and the design were also praised.
Vermeer’s Delft concentrated for the first time to the life of Johannes Vermeer, his network and his relationship to the city of Delft. With the high ratings from the public and visitor numbers , Vermeer’s Delft exceeded all expectations. No fewer than 71,000 visitors from home and abroad came to Delft for this exhibition of the famous Delft master. Vermeer’s Delft introduced a large audience to Johannes Vermeer as the person and man behind the myth.
The exhibitions with the most votes were:
1. ‘The Vermeer Project’, both ‘Vermeer’, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam and ‘Vermeer’s Delft’, Museum Prinsenhof Delft
2. ‘Kees van Dongen. The road to success’, Singer Laren
3. ‘Kemet. Egypt in hip hop, jazz, soul & funk’, National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden
The Museum Magazine Exhibition Prize is an annual public election of the best exhibition of the cultural year. The professional jury selected the 10 nominees, after which the public was invited to vote. The winning museum will receive a cash prize of €10,000. This year the professional jury consisted of jury chairman Cathelijne Broers, director of the Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund, Peter van Duinen, director of the Vrije Academie and Marina de Vries, editor-in-chief of Museum Magazine.
The election is a collaboration between Museum Magazine, the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, the Vrije Academie, SRC Reizen, the VriendenLoterij and the Drents Museum.
Photo by and © Michael Hasted
