My name is Bart Knoester, founder of Kunstiek.

At Kunstiek, I focus on paintings, watercolours, gouaches, drawings and sculptures from the 19th and 20th centuries, with a particular interest in Dutch and Belgian art.

I grew up surrounded by art. Many years ago, my parents founded Kunsthandel Knoester in The Hague, specialising in the Nieuwe Haagse School (New Hague School): the movement of painters and sculptors from The Hague that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s around the Verve and Fugare groups.

It was through them that I developed my own love of art. It is an addiction, but one I happily embrace.

For me, art does not begin with buying or selling, but with looking. With a work that catches your attention, sparks your curiosity or simply refuses to let you go. That one work you keep looking at and eventually want to have around you. That is also how my own love of collecting began.

I therefore consider myself first and foremost an art lover and collector. My own collection has grown considerably over the years, and no matter how much space you have, there never seems to be quite enough room for art. Perhaps that is part of the pleasure of collecting: there is always something new to discover.

My interests are broad and not confined to any particular movement or style. Over the years, I have learned to look beyond a name or signature and focus instead on the quality and character of the work itself. This open-minded approach allows me to select works that I personally find beautiful, interesting and of genuine quality, regardless of style.