Ed van der Elsken, Up Close in Amsterdam

A cyclist defiantly sticking out her tongue, three laughing young women in miniskirts, and a group of greasers on the corner of the Nieuwendijk—the innovative street photography of Ed van der Elsken forms a journey through time in post-war Netherlands. Thanks to years of research into his private archive, the exhibition Ed van der Elsken. Up Close also offers a new, detailed look at the creation of his work. In addition to many well-known photographs, the exhibition also features numerous previously unpublished notes, contact prints, darkroom experiments, and newly discovered book dummies. The exhibition displays photographs from the collections of the Rijksmuseum, the Nederlands Fotomuseum, the Stedelijk Museum, the Leiden University Libraries, and film footage from Eye Filmmuseum, among others. The exhibition is on view until September 13, 2026, at the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam).

Hugo Claus – 'The Dog Days' (1952)

Do you have this title in your bookcase? It was written by Hugo Claus and is titled 'De Hondsdagen' (1952). Hugo Maurice Julien Claus (Bruges, April 5, 1929 – Antwerp, March 19, 2008) was a Flemish poet, writer, painter, and filmmaker. He was the most awarded author in the Dutch-speaking world. Over the course of his long career, Claus wrote thousands of poems, dozens of plays, and various novels, the best known of which is his masterpiece 'Het verdriet van België' (The Sorrow of Belgium) from 1983. The version I have is from 1973 (13th ^edition ) and published by De Bezige Bij Amsterdam. The photo on the front cover is by Ed van der Elsken.

Pioneer

The most important moments in his career are on display in nine rooms, from his first steps as a reportage photographer in the early 50s to the creation process of his last photobook in the late 80s. The exhibition and the accompanying book show how he pioneered, experimented, searched, refined, sometimes doubted, and grew into the most important photographer of his generation.

Private archive

Thanks to the acquisition of his private archive by the Rijksmuseum and the Nederlands Fotomuseum in 2019, in-depth research into this was possible for the first time. Moreover, the material has been studied and presented for the first time in conjunction with his work in other public collections.

Inventive image maker

This detailed look at the creation of his work reveals a versatile, sometimes whimsical, but above all inventive image maker who changed photography in the Netherlands forever. It also becomes clear that he sometimes spent years on a single project or book publication. Some were never published but were kept by him for decades. Now they are being shown for the first time. Film clips enrich the exhibition with the photographer's voice.

Versatile.

The exhibition also showcases his travels abroad, including those to Cuba and Japan. It reveals how Van der Elsken arrived at his photography, what inspired him, and the techniques he used. Through remarkable prints and archival documents, the exhibition demonstrates the versatility of this idiosyncratic artist.

Source: Rijksmuseum Press Release (Amsterdam).

<strong> More info: </strong>

Anyone who wants to see a beautiful selection by cult photographer Ed van der Elsken can quickly reserve for free with the Museumkaart or VriendenLoterij VIP card on the Rijksmuseum website.

Ed van der Elsken. Up Close, through 13 September 2026 at the Rijksmuseum:

https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/nl/zien-en-doen/tentoonstellingen/ed-van-der-elsken

Recent and older museum blogs: https://www.freestampmagazine.nl/tag/made-in-holland/