Yard in paint
From Thursday, January 22nd, until mid-June 2026, Museum Spakenburg will host a new exhibition. This exhibition, titled "Werf in verf" (Shipyard in Paint), features Spakenburg's work by Jan Zwaan, son of the renowned painter Klaas Zwaan.
Jan Zwaan (born 1953) grew up behind the red shed, in a narrow street with his parents, brother, and grandmother. The shipyard, or rather the slipway, is practically his birthplace. This world of fishing boats, workers, full of scents and colors, in its apparent chaos, fascinated Jan from a young age, and his love of painting also developed early on.
His father, Klaas Zwaan, took him to meet fellow artists and also received them at home. For example, little Jan rode on the back of his bike to David Schulman, a painter from the Laren school, whom Mauve had known. He was fascinated by the art profession; it was something he wanted to pursue later in life. Jan therefore chose to study at the art academy in Groningen. The shipyard was an ideal subject for study during this period, and Jan developed his own style. After graduating from the academy, he began working as a lecturer at the ARTEZ art academy alongside his artistic career and eventually settled in Hasselt.
In the years that followed, the Spakenburg slipway continued to fascinate him. The works included in the exhibition therefore span a period of some thirty years. Especially for this exhibition, Jan created a large panorama of the old harbor and shipyard in charcoal on paper. The work is based on a postcard sent in 1934 by slipway owner Willem Nieuwboer (1881-1950). Willem wrote on it, "Four fishing boats in the shipyard and steady work for twelve men. That's how it was before the damming of the Zuiderzee, but those good old days will never return!!". This inspired Jan; he would have loved to have witnessed it. This Spakenburg native's love for the slipway is palpable throughout the exhibition. The works are very atmospheric and painted with beautiful touch and a lovely use of color. "Yard in Paint" is a must-see for all enthusiasts of Spakenburg's fishing history and its artistic representation.
