Museum Schokland receives painting depicting Pastor Ter Schouw on loan

Museum Schokland has recently acquired a special painting on long-term loan from the Roman Catholic parish in Nijkerk. The portrait depicts Hermanus F.J. ter Schouw, the last pastor of Schokland. He played an important role in the evacuation of the island in 1859.

The oil painting was created in 1924 in the style of the Amsterdam School by the artist Willem Adolfs. The painting shows Hermanus F.J. ter Schouw. He was the pastor of the Roman Catholic church on Schokland from 1856 to 1859.

Evacuation of Schokland

As pastor on Schokland, Ter Schouw experienced the extreme poverty of the island up close. He believed that the situation on the island was untenable. For this reason, he wrote several letters advocating the evacuation of Schokland. The government, partly due to the efforts of Ter Schouw, decided to evacuate the island in 1859.

Permanent exhibition

After the evacuation of Schokland, Ter Schouw became pastor in Hellendoorn and later in Nijkerk. There, Ter Schouw passed away in 1883 at the age of 61. The painting provides visitors with greater insight into the residents of the island and therefore enriches the permanent exhibition of Museum Schokland.