Coba Ritsema (1876-1961) – who was born and raised in Haarlem – was a successful artist around the turn of the 20th century. Her portraits and still lifes were popular, mainly because of her harmonious use of colour. At a time when men dominated the art world, Ritsema caused a sensation, at home and abroad.

The tour is about Coba Ritsema's life and work. About her education at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam, where female students were allowed to take classes for the first time. She remained friends with some of her fellow students - including Lizzy Ansingh - throughout her life. The tour guide will also focus on the position of female artists at the beginning of the 20th century. Much was changing in art and society during Ritsema's lifetime, including the first steps in women's emancipation and the rise of abstract art. But in a world reinventing itself, Ritsema actually drew beauty and strength from capturing reality close to home.