Shifting Image – In Search of Johan Maurits

In 2018, the Mauritshuis, home to the best of Dutch painting of the Golden Age, became the subject of a national discussion on colonialism, slavery and heritage. The museum continued the conversation and examined the perception of the name giver of the museum, Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen, and his role in the 17th-century colony Dutch-Brazil with the exhibition, Shifting Image – In Search of Johan Maurits. Together with the Mauritshuis, Studio Louter and OPERA Amsterdam created an exhibition concept and design that would allow visitors to discover multiple perspectives on this complex part of Dutch history. The centrepiece was a selection of artworks from the Mauritshuis collection with new object labels written by experts from in- and outside of the museum, creating a unique form of polyphony. The exhibition challenges visitors to think critically and invites them to form an image and opinion of their own.