New series: Masterpiece on Museum TV

Every Monday, watch a brand new episode of the series Masterpiece on Museum TV. A team of leading experts takes on the challenge of reconstructing eight intricate Dutch masterpieces. In the process, the experts strive to get as close as possible to the artist's technique, style and perception of the world. Can the reconstruction live up to the original?

Discover the first episodes:

Johannes Vermeer - Girl with a Pearl Earring

Vermeer’s "Girl with a Pearl Earring" was chosen by the public as the most beautiful painting in the Netherlands. It is also called the Mona Lisa of the low countries. The artwork has an incredibly beautiful light and almost inscrutable build-up of paint layers. What technique did Vermeer use to achieve this? The course of light and sharpness is unprecedented for its time. And is the pearl a pearl? The team will try to unravel these secrets by re-creating the painting with all the technology of today and knowledge of the past.

Piet Mondriaan - Victory Boogiewoogie, Monday, March 18th at 8:00pm

Mondrian is one of the greatest innovators of Modern art. He started out as a landscape painter, but became world famous as a painter of abstract works. Mondrian tried to depict the world behind the visible world. He wanted to create "universal", harmonic art that would form the basis for a better world. His absolute masterpiece is "Victory Boogiewoogie", the painting he worked on in New York until he died in 1944.

Rembrandt - Self Portrait, Monday, March 25th at 8:00pm

Rembrandt: undoubtedly the greatest Dutch painter. Admired the world over, especially for his play of light and darkness. A master at depicting human emotions, particularly in his self-portraits. A virtuoso of technique, but also of implacable honesty. Rembrandt painted his first self-portrait at the age of 22. A small work, but technically highly refined: "Self-portrait at an early age".

Karel Appel - Child Church Animal, Monday, April 1st at 8:00pm

Karel Appel’s father forced him to take over the hairdressing business, but Karel only wanted one thing: to become a painter. And he did: A great master ahead of his time, a world famous painter even. In 1949, when he was still unknown and penniless, he made "Child, Church, Animal". Actually nothing is known about the construction of this painting. Not more than you can discover at first sight. To find out more, we have to take a closer look at the work using a microscope. It seems as if the work consists of several layers.

Van Gogh - Self Portrait with Grey Felt Hat, Monday, April 8th at 8:00pm

It wasn't until the age of 27 that Vincent van Gogh decided to become a full-time artist. Yet in the ten years before his death, he produced over 900 paintings. His influence on painting was enormous. His use of color and his compositions inspired generations after him. The Masterpiece team examines the paintings and finds everything that lies between the layers. And if they're lucky, they may discover something special...

Masterpiece, every Monday at 8:00pm on Museum TV.