The Heinz M. Kaempfer Fund was founded in 1989 with the aim to promote and make accessible the study of the Japanese fine and applied arts through, among other means, the provision of financial support for young scholars.

Heinz Kaempfer Fund Board Members

The board consists of:

• Anna Beerens - Chairwoman
• Nadia Keijzer - Secretary
• Christiaan Kamstra - Treasurer
• Marije Jansen
• Chris Uhlenbeck
• Eva Sprinkhuizen

The Fund was named after Heinz Kaempfer (1904-1986), former secretary and chairman of the Society for Japanese Arts. From the 1950s onwards Kaempfer played a prominent role in the promotion and appreciation of Japanese art in the Netherlands. He was involved in several of the Society’s publications and exhibitions. On his 75th birthday Kaempfer, was honoured with a collection of articles, A Sheaf of Japanese Papers, with contributions by scholars from all over the world.

For info on the Heinz Kaempfer thesis award, please see this page.

Heinz Kaempfer

The Heinz Kaempfer Fund was host and organiser of the following conferences:

• Symposium - Topics in Japanese Lacquer Art, Leiden 2017
• Kunisada Symposium, Leiden 2017
• Collecting Japanese Art in European Museums, Leiden 2013
• History and Techniques of Japanese Lacquer art, Amstelveen 2000

Heinz Kaempfer Fund International Essay Contests took place in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 2000.

In addition, the Heinz Kaempfer Fund has published the following titles:

• Jan Dees et al., Graphic designer, collector, curator and scholar of Japanese art, essays in honour of Robert Schaap, Heinz Kaempfer Fund (in association with Society for Japanese Arts), The Hague 2013
• Else Kress, Meeting once more: inrō and their design drawings, Heinz Kaempfer Fund, Leiden 1999
• Dieuwke Eijer, Kagamibuta, The Baur Collection/Heinz Kaempfer Fund, Geneva & Leiden 1994
• C. Ouwehand, Hokusai shūga ichiran, Heinz Kaempfer Fund, Leiden 1991

For a complete overview of activities organised by the fund, please see the following file: HKF activities. Our official policy plan (in Dutch only), can be found here: Beleidsplan.

Covers of Graphic designer, collector, curator and scholar of Japanese art, essays in honour of Robert Schaap (2013) and Kagamibuta (1994), and an illustration from Heroes of the grand pacification (2005)

Boardmembers do not receive any financial compensation. Our current financial reports can be found here: Balance sheet en Profit and loss statement (both documents are in Dutch only).

Purpose of the Fund

 The Heinz M. Kaempfer Fund aims to promote the study of the Japanese fine and applied arts, and the publication of research results through the provision of financial support for young scholars.

• The Fund provides financial support for publication and/or the acquisition of publication permissions for images.
• The Fund awards grants to young researchers as a contribution towards travel expenses connected to research projects.
• Grantees will be invited to present the results of their research for publication in Andon, the journal of the Society for Japanese Arts.

Applicants are kindly requested to submit their proposal using the application form below. Please include a brief description of the project and the research method, as well as a timeline and a justification of the requested sum.

If you want further information please contact the secretary of the fund.