Discover the international art of lithography
In addition to the permanent collection, the Dutch Museum of Lithography regularly highlights a special artist or a specific theme with a new exhibition.
From November 8 until May 3, 2026 the exhibition Kees van Dongen. The Early Years is on display.
Get your tickets
Buy your tickets online! Choose the day and time slot for your museum visit. Tickets are only valid for the day and time indicated.
KEES VAN DONGEN. THE EARLY YEARSNovember 8, 2025 until May 3, 2026
November 8, 2025 until May 3, 2026
Kees van Dongen was among the vanguard of Dutch artists who moved to Paris at the end of the nineteenth century. There, he found himself at the center of artistic innovation and became one of the most striking figures of the international avant-garde around 1900.
Van Dongen began his illustrious career as a draftsman. With only a few pencils in his pocket, he left for Paris in 1897, determined to create drawings and prints for a wide audience. Through illustrated magazines, he brought his work to the public and, inspired by anarchist ideals, gave a voice to workers, prostitutes, and others on the fringes of society. These early graphic works are critical, fierce, and engaged. Overshadowed by Van Dongen’s later success as a painter, they have rarely been seen. Discover them now in the exhibition Kees van Dongen: The Early Years: a unique opportunity to see the lesser-known work from the beginning of the artistic career of one of the most important Dutch artists from the 20th century.
The exhibition was created in collaboration with many partners, such as the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Letterenhuis Antwerp, the International Institute of Social History, and various private lenders.
The catalogue accompanying the exhibition is available in the webshop and in the museum.
Activities
Various special activities are organized around the exhibition, such as lectures and guided tours. Keep an eye on our calendar for up-to-date information!
Acknowledgment
The exhibition is made possible by the Mondriaan Fonds, De Gijselaar-Hintzenfonds, VVNK 1900 and the municipality of Valkenswaard.
200 years of lithography The amazing world of lithographyPermanent exhibition
Permanent exhibition
The Dutch Museum of Lithography is the only museum in the world on the art of stone printing and lithography. Since 2001, the museum has been responsible for the preservation of this graphic heritage. This is partly due to the impressive collection assembled by the museum’s founder, Peter-Louis Vrijdag M Sc.
The museum collection of the Dutch Museum of Lithography includes book illustrations, cartography, advertising posters and lithography by famous artists such as Alphonse Mucha, Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon, Kees van Dongen en Jan Sluijters, but also playing cards, labels, postcards, prints, caricatures and (satirical) magazines.
We would also like you to discover how lithography has developed into today’s world of mass image communication. From the first hand presses and the immense speed presses of the 19th and 20th centuries, to today’s microchip technology.
Come and visit our museum and workshop, and experience the art and technique of lithography yourself!
Organising a company outing?
Special arrangements for groups and guided tours can be discussed (also outside of regular opening hours).
Please contact our office by phone: +31 (0)40 204 98 41 or by e-mail: [email protected]. Office hours: Tuesday to Friday, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Visit the museum at home
Visit the online exhibition of Alphonse Mucha, the undisputed master of art nouveau!
Alphonse Mucha Master of art nouveau Virtual tour
Virtual tour
Around 1900, artist Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) created his own style in cosmopolitan Paris. Le Style Mucha became synonymous with French art nouveau.
His first innovative 1894 lithograph for the play Gismonda, starring Parisian theatre star actress Sarah Bernhardt, made Mucha instantly famous. His lithographs with graceful lines, fresh pastel tones and lush motifs of sensual, melancholy women grew to become icons of the fin de siècle.
A retrospective of his magnificent lithographic work was on display at the Dutch Museum of Lithography between 21 March 2020 and 10 January 2021, and is still to be visited virtually!
Virtual museum tour
Did you miss the exhibition about Alphonse Mucha, or would you like to look at all the artworks again at your leisure? Then take a digital stroll through this special exhibition in the Dutch Museum of Lithography!
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Explore the world of stone printing at the Dutch Museum of Lithography! Plan your visit and book your tickets online.