If you grew up with Jip and Janneke, Pim and Pom or Pluk van de Petteflet, chances are you have known Fiep Westendorp’s drawings for most of your life. Her illustrations have become part of the collective visual memory of the Netherlands. Yet for many years, Westendorp herself remained less well known than the writers she worked with. The Rijksmuseum’s exhibition Fiep Westendorp puts the illustrator firmly in the spotlight.
From 19 June to 13 September 2026, the Rijksmuseum presents around 150 original drawings by Westendorp. The exhibition goes beyond her best-known characters to explore the artist behind the seemingly simple lines. Early sketches, personal drawings, illustrations for Het Parool, and work created for the books of Annie M.G. Schmidt and Mies Bouhuys together reveal the remarkable range of her career.
Her creative process is particularly fascinating. Corrections, discarded lines and annotations reveal how carefully she worked. Jip and Janneke, for example, did not initially look quite as they do today. Over time, Westendorp gradually simplified their forms, reducing them to the distinctive silhouettes that became instantly recognisable to generations of readers.
That simplicity was not a limitation but a strength. With remarkably few lines, Westendorp could suggest a personality, an emotion or an entire scene. Her work for Het Parool reveals another side of her talent: observant, contemporary and gently ironic. In post-war Amsterdam, she also established herself as an independent illustrator at a time when relatively few women were able to build an independent career in the profession.
The exhibition therefore offers more than a nostalgic journey through childhood. It demonstrates why Westendorp’s work continues to resonate: her drawings are playful and accessible, yet they reveal an extraordinary understanding of composition, rhythm and character. Look closely and it becomes clear just how much artistry can be contained in a handful of seemingly effortless lines.
Families can explore the exhibition through activities including a discovery trail and the Fiep-Lab, where children can experiment with drawing and storytelling themselves.
Fiep Westendorp is on view at the Rijksmuseum until 13 September 2026.
Photography: Dutch Design Daily
