From 13 April to 21 September 2025, the Dordrecht Museum is hosting the exhibition Carel de Nerée. Different from the others. The work of Carel de Nerée tot Babberich (1880-1909) is one of the most fascinating in Dutch art around 1900. His refined drawings, such as The Swans and Ecstasy: After the Sacrifice, evoke associations with the work of major European fin-de-siècle artists such as Aubrey Beardsley, Gustav Klimt and Jan Toorop.
Born into an aristocratic family, De Nerée was both a society figure and a bohemian artist. His life and work reflect themes of queerness, gender fluidity and eroticism. Despite his diplomatic ambitions, he found an intimate and very personal outlet in art, with drawings that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also reveal his complex life story.
The exhibition features over 40 masterpieces from Dutch and international collections, including works that have never been exhibited before. It also includes beautiful embroideries created in collaboration with his mother, Constance van Houten. This exhibition is a unique opportunity to discover De Nerée's pioneering vision and exceptional talent. The exhibition is curated in collaboration with guest curator Sander Bink, who will publish the first comprehensive biography of De Nerée.