Whistler. Dandy and Disruptor at the Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam presents Whistler. Dandy and Disruptor from Friday 16 October 2026 to Sunday 10 January 2027. The museum calls it the first retrospective in the Netherlands devoted to James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903), and in its news release describes it as the largest European Whistler retrospective in thirty years, presented together with The Mesdag Collection in The Hague.

What is on show

According to the museum’s announcement, the Amsterdam exhibition brings together some 100 works, including one of Whistler’s most famous paintings, Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter’s Mother. It also includes nocturnes of the Thames, works from the White Girls series and life-sized society portraits.

Why it matters

The exhibition is co-organised with Tate Britain, whose London leg ran from 21 May to 27 September 2026. The Van Gogh Museum also draws a line to its own collection: Van Gogh referred to the portrait of Whistler’s mother in a letter to his sister Willemien, and both artists shared a fascination with Japanese aesthetics.

A companion exhibition, Whistler. Loving the Netherlands, is shown at The Mesdag Collection in The Hague and focuses on Whistler’s Dutch travels and the work he made here.

Practical information

Tickets are sold online only, and every visitor books a start time. The museum’s ticket page lists adult admission at €25, rising to €26 from 1 January 2027; visitors under 18 enter free, and there is no separate exhibition fee. Over the holidays the museum opens from 09:00 to 17:00 on 24, 25, 26 and 31 December, and from 11:00 to 18:00 on 1 January 2027. Check the opening hours page for other days. The address is Museumplein 6, Amsterdam.

Common questions

When does the exhibition run?

From Friday 16 October 2026 to Sunday 10 January 2027 at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Who was James McNeill Whistler?

A painter and printmaker who lived from 1834 to 1903, famous for his Nocturnes and for the portrait of his mother. The Van Gogh Museum presents him as both dandy and disruptor.

Will Whistler’s Mother hang in Amsterdam?

Yes. The museum’s announcement lists Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter’s Mother among the some 100 works in the Amsterdam exhibition.

Is the museum open over Christmas and New Year?

Yes. It opens from 09:00 to 17:00 on 24, 25, 26 and 31 December, and from 11:00 to 18:00 on 1 January 2027.

What is the link with Van Gogh?

Van Gogh mentioned the portrait of Whistler’s mother in a letter to his sister Willemien, and both artists shared a fascination with Japanese aesthetics, per the museum.

Is there a companion exhibition?

Yes. Whistler. Loving the Netherlands is shown at The Mesdag Collection in The Hague and focuses on Whistler’s Dutch visits and the work he made in the Netherlands.