Stadhuismuseum Zierikzee – packing and transport
The project
For the exhibition Zeeuwse portretten uit de achttiende eeuw at the Stadhuismuseum Zierikzee, a special loan was transported: the portrait of the Zeeland couple Nicolaas Steengracht and Anna Maria Spiering, painted in 1733 by Philip van Dijk.
The artwork comes from the collection of Kasteel Duivenvoorde and is one of many portraits of Zeeland families featured in the exhibition. The paintings, drawn from museums, archives, historical societies and private collections, show how important representation was to the Zeeland elite.
The challenges
The portrait is not only impressive in content, but also in form. Its frame is large, fragile, and richly detailed. A key requirement was that the painting had to be transported in a hanging position to avoid putting stress on the frame. This called for a tailored approach to packing, handling, and transport. The planning also required close coordination with several parties, including the lending institution, Kasteel Duivenvoorde, and the organiser of the exhibition, Stadhuismuseum Zierikzee.
Our plan of action
We designed and built custom packaging and a crate, tailored to the size and fragility of the artwork. The interior of the crate was constructed to allow the painting to remain in a hanging position during transport, with sufficient padding and support at the critical points. Our arthandlers took care of the packing on site in Zuid-Holland and arranged the transport to Zierikzee.
The result
Thanks to careful preparation and the expertise of our team, the painting arrived in perfect condition in Zierikzee. Its presentation in the exhibition is striking: the portrait now hangs as a centrepiece in a room where the 18th-century Zeeland elite comes to life. Both the client and the museum expressed their appreciation for the safe arrival and professional installation. This project highlights the importance of collaboration, custom solutions, and experience when transporting key works from Dutch collections.
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