Bernardus Petrus (Ben) Viegers, born on December 17, 1886 in The Hague and died on October 8, 1947 in Nunspeet, was a prominent Dutch painter of his time.
Viegers's artistic development began in the workshop of his maternal grandfather, a renowned coach builder, where he learned skills such as drawing, paint mixing, decoration and painting.
In 1903-1904 he was enrolled in the first class of the daytime course at the Academy of Visual Arts in The Hague.
His friendship with Charles Dankmeijer (1861-1923) had a great influence on his artistic growth and development.
Viegers first exhibited his works in 1907 in Antwerp, followed by an exhibition of his art in Batavia (Dutch East Indies) in 1910.
Membership with the Hague Art Circle started for him in 1921.
His oeuvre was broad and included flower still lifes, bulb fields, landscapes, gardens, harbor views, interiors, marines, city views, still lifes, beach views and winter landscapes.
In 1938, Viegers moved with his wife from The Hague to Nunspeet, where they moved into a dilapidated building on the Brinkersweg that he renovated with his own hands. During the early years of the Second World War he lived in Castricum and later moved to Hilversum. He finally returned to Nunspeet in 1943.
Viegers was married to Josina Maria Jacobs. He died on October 8, 1947 at the age of 60 in Nunspeet. In honor of his legacy, a street in Nunspeet has been named after him.
In October 2014, the Noord-Veluws Museum in Nunspeet opened its doors with an exhibition dedicated to Ben Viegers. The exhibition presented 130 of his works, giving visitors a comprehensive overview of his artistic contributions.
