SPAZIO FIELD Palazzo Brancaccio
Bronzes and Paintings by Wil Van der Laan
May 6, 2025 – September 26, 2025 – Via Merulana 248, 00184 Rome

Wil van der Laan is a Dutch artist, born near Maastricht.
Mosae Trajectum Superior, as the Romans called that city, where they built a small fort near a bridge over the Mosa River, along the important road to Cologne (Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium). In the Netherlands, Wil is mainly known for his vitalist paintings and bronzes. His works are like vibrant celebrations of life, an ode to the energy and pulsating strength of existence. His paintings are explosions of color and movement, where forms dissolve and rebuild in a continuous flow of vitality. The brushstrokes are bold and free, almost dancing on the canvas, capturing the essence of intense emotions and a humanity in motion. The subjects are often human or natural figures, represented with an energy that seems to vibrate, as if life itself manifests through every stroke of color. The bronzes, on the other hand, are sculptures that seem to breathe, pulsate with their own life. The forms are often soft and fluid, with curves that evoke movement and vitality. The smooth surface expresses a sense of dynamism and vital force. These works seem to capture a moment of pure energy, as if the material itself were alive, ready to express deep and instinctive emotions.

Inspired by the many Roman artifacts still visible within his everyday environment, the artist decided to depict a modern, non-idealized, and somewhat raw vision of five important emperors and their predecessor: Julius Caesar. A second major source of inspiration for Wil van der Laan was the vision of the Golden Bronzes of Pergola. A Dutch art lover, Wijnand Luttikholt, became a sort of patron for Wil, and his efforts led to the first exhibition in Italy: "Roman Emperors." The sculptural group was displayed in Utrecht, Netherlands, in Xanten, Germany, and again in Italy. But now, the emperors are no longer alone; they are accompanied by a series ofpaintings depicting influential and famous women of the Roman era. Dutch writer Rosita Steenbeek, who has lived in Rome for over 30 years, extracted texts from her novels to accompany the works, such as the one dedicated to Julia, daughter of Emperor Augustus. Wil’s fascination with Roman antiquity is also reflected later ina bronze Jupiter and in the “Horse Tamers,” the pair of divine protectors of Rome, Castor and Pollux. Among the works on display, we will particularly appreciate the paintings Wil dedicated to the 90th birthday of Sophia Loren. To this queen of Italian cinema, he symbolically offers a bodyguard: four paintings of the Carabinieri. With their powerful appearance, they will not seem out of place among Van der Laan’s favorite subjects: Bulls and Horses.

For the first time in an exhibition, a unique bronze of a fragile Anne Frank will be showcased. Wil Van der Laan’s works are all imbued with a sense of expressive freedom and aesthetic exploration. His creations invite us to explore human emotions through vibrant forms and colors, making each piece an engaging and stimulating visual experience.

2025: Grote tentoonstelling Palazzo Brancaccio Rome,
wederom ism Rosita Steenbeek,
thema Keizers en machtige vrouwen maar ook nieuwe werken met als thema "Rome".

Reportage RTV-Maastricht

Processies in Maastricht