From medieval altarpieces and sculpture to seventeenth-century genre paintings, an impressive portrait gallery and the most captivating landscapes. The Treasure Rooms showcase highlights from the museum’s remarkably diverse collection.

The foundation of the collection was laid by the Van Heek family. Its richness and diversity unfold across six Treasure Rooms: the Middle Ages, the Landscape, In Bloom, the Portrait, Silver, and Genre.

The Middle Ages

The medieval artworks take you back to a world shaped by religious stories and rituals. Art served as a visual aid to help convey the often incomprehensible Bible stories written in Latin. Jan Herman van Heek, the first director of Rijksmuseum Twenthe, had a deep appreciation for medieval art. A significant part of this collection—manuscripts, paintings, sculptures and altarpieces—has been part of the museum since its opening.

This Treasure Room features works by, among others: Meester van Hoogstraeten, Lucas Cranach de Oude en Jan Provoost.

The Landscape

From early imaginary landscapes—often featuring a religious scene or village fair in the background—to realistic works painted outdoors. This Treasure Room reveals the evolution of landscape painting. It also includes works by artist groups who formed colonies in nature, such as the Hague School and the French Barbizon School.

This room features works by, among others:Pieter Brueghel de Jonge, John Constable, Charles-François Daubigny, Jacoba van Heemskerck en Jan Sluijters

In Bloom

From exquisitely detailed flower still lifes to quickly rendered red and white blooms on a kimono—flowers have been a recurring motif throughout the centuries of painting. A fascination with new and exotic flowers led to the emergence of the flower still life as a new genre at the beginning of the seventeenth century.

This Treasure Room features works by, among others: George Hendrik Breitner, Jan Breughel de Oude en Odilon Redon

 

The Portrait

Portraits offer a fascinating glimpse into the spirit of their time. From historical painted portraits that embody ideals of civilisation to intimate, close-up photographs revealing the subject’s emotions—portraits transport you to another era or prompt reflection on your own body and feelings.

This Treasure Room features works by, among others:melanie bonajo, Alexander Roslin, Jan Sluijters en Levi van Veluw

 

The Silver Treasure Room

This Treasure Room presents masterpieces of silversmithing from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries—from showpieces to tableware and royal silver. All items come from the collection of the Martens-Mulder couple. General practitioner Jan Cornelis Martens lived modestly but collected with great passion. After his passing in 1974, Roelfina Martens-Mulder entrusted the collection to the Martens-Mulder Foundation. Rijksmuseum Twenthe has this exceptional silver on long-term loan from the foundation.

This room features an extensive collection of silver, including the doll’s house of Anna Maria Tripp.

Genre

A genre painting depicts scenes from everyday life or the ordinary surroundings of the time. The genre first emerged in sixteenth-century Brabant, with Pieter Bruegel the Elder as one of its most significant pioneers. In the Netherlands, genre painting flourished in the seventeenth century with works by artists such as Adriaen van Ostade, Gerard ter Borch, Pieter de Hooch and many others.

This Treasure Room features works by, among others: Gerard van Kuijl, Jan Steen en Adriaen van Ostade 

Also of interest

24.05.2025

herman de vries

• Exhibition