Her oeuvre comprises pen and chalk drawings, several paintings and three albums of watercolours which are held by the Rijksmuseum. Her brilliant and original drawings often betray an element of humour. In some she depicted personal scenes that offer a glimpse into her everyday life, while in others she invested all her knowledge and ambition to create complex allegorical works. Gesina ter Borch carefully stewarded her family’s studio legacy, which remained in the family’s possession for centuries after her death. Most of this collection was acquired by the Rijksmuseum in 1886. The museum also holds her only signed oil painting and a painting she made together with her half-brother Gerard ter Borch. These two deeply personal works commemorate their deceased younger brother Moses.
Getting started with the collection: