'Schröder & Rietveld Architect' window painting restored

   On Tuesday, January 21 2025, a reconstruction of the text “Schröder & Rietveld Architect” was added to the window of the Rietveld Schröder House.  

   Recent research shows that the company name was on the window of the former office on Prins Hendriklaan in 1925, when the house was just finished and Truus Schröder came to live there. This not only highlights that Schröder and Rietveld had an architectural firm together, but also shows that Schröder's role is greater than previously thought. The text was restored by performing artist Leone Schröder, great-granddaughter of Truus Schröder.  

Schröder share higher than expected

   Although the famous house bears the name Rietveld Schröder House, Schröder's share by art historians has long been limited to the client. Partly because of the research that Natalie Dubois and Jessica van Geel recently did for their book Rietveld Schröder House — A Biography of the House, various evidence has been found of Schröder's contribution to Rietveld's designs — and to the house in particular. For example, Schröder writes in letters that she is participating in projects, she corresponds with clients and her name can be found on drawings.  

   Bart Rutten, artistic director Rietveld Schröder House and Centraal Museum: “The window painting with the company name — which also starts with Schröder's name — is one of the many indications that Schröder was much more than Rietveld's client, mistress or muse. By repainting the painting, we want to give Schröder the recognition she deserves.”  

Letters to daughter public

   An important part of Dubois and Van Geel's research consists of the recently discovered letters that Truus Schröder wrote to her eldest daughter Han. These letters were made public in their entirety for the first time and can now be found at the Centraal Museum website. The letters have been managed by the museum for a long time and were recently transcribed by volunteers. It was agreed with Schröder's heirs that the letters after the publication of Rietveld Schröder House — A Biography of the House would be public to everyone.