Over 150 paintings, drawings, objects, scale models and videos provide us with a unique outlook on two centuries of Prix de Rome. A great number of the works have never been exhibited before. Besides works of art of amongst others Jan Sluijters, Pier Pander en Alicia Framis, various excerpts from reports of the jury committee, correspondences and personal stories by participants and Prix winners give an image of the background and development of the Prix de Rome. The historical retrospective shows the art prize mirroring modern art throughout the times, from the earliest winner J.E.C. Alberti in 1808 to the winning photographs by Viviane Sassen in 2008.
Fragments from the reports of the Jury Committee, letters by artists, personal stories by winners, paraphernalia and other documentary material further color the history of the Prix de Rome. The material sheds light on the past and the background of the art prize and tells the story of success, triumph and competition. The exhibition deals with the development of the competition and the journey to Rome made by the first winners of the Prix. Besides this, it becomes clear how both the nomination - and judging process of the contestants of the Prix de Rome progresses and in what way the harsh academic practice of this radically changed after 1985.