SALERNES.- The exhibition provides an insight into the life and work of Korteweg, who was immediately recognised by Wassily Kandinsky. The Russian painter wrote to Franz Marc, "But the new paintings, the New Art? The only new, really interesting thing which is now really alive is the paintings of a young Dutchman, who once visited me and now comes from time to time...".

The two painters met each other in March 1913. Korteweg, who had broken off his architectural study in Delft in order to paint, was so impressed with Kandinsky's work and writings that he promptly left for Munich. He installed himself in Schwabing, Munich's bohemian quarter, mixing intensely that summer with members of the group of artists known as Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider). He also met Herwarth Walden and designed a front page for his magazine Der Sturm (The Storm). Walden invited him to the renowned Erster Deutscher Herbstsalon (First German Autumn Salon) in Berlin, where he was represented with four works.

Back in the Netherlands, Korteweg became increasingly interested in theosophy and gave lectures for the Theosophical Association. Kandinsky's Über das Geistige in der Kunst (Concerning the Spiritual in Art) continued to be his chief inspiration. This moved him to write his own life philosophy, kleur-licht-vuur (colour-light-fire) and also led him to visit monasteries in India. Six months later, however, his journey was cut tragically short when, suffering from poor health, he was admitted to a hospital in Madras where he died on 12 November 1917.

In 1993-94, the first exhibition dedicated to Korteweg's work was held in the Lenbachhaus in Munich, which is most famous for its collection of paintings by Der Blaue Reiter.