Artworks & Gifts
The interiors of the Peace Palace form a mosaic of artistic treasures reflecting the diverse cultural heritage of the PCA’s Founding Nations.
• Paintings
Portrait of Queen Wilhelmina
Portrait of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands at the age of eighteen by Jan ten Kate Sr. circa 1900. She is portrayed as a young sovereign with a palm branch, symbolizing peace, in her hand and with the beach of Scheveningen in the background.
The creation of the PCA during the first Hague Peace Conference in 1899 marked a decisive moment in the history of international diplomacy. Queen Wilhelmina played a crucial role here: in addition to her diplomatic support for the conference initiated by Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, she made the palace of Huis Ten Bosch available as the venue for the First Hague Peace Conference. Her commitment and dedication to the cause of international peace and justice were essential to the success of that conference, which eventually led to the establishment of the PCA in 1899.
To honour Queen Wilhelmina’s legacy and support, one of the first steps after the creation of the PCA was to obtain a portrait of the young queen by painter Jan ten Kate for the PCA’s first office, which was located at 71 Prinsegracht in The Hague.
When the Peace Palace was officially inaugurated as the PCA’s headquarters by Queen Wilhelmina in 1913, her portrait moved with the PCA and was placed in the Secretary-General’s office.
Portrait of Tsar Nicholas II
Portrait of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia by an unknown Russian artist circa 1900. Tsar Nicholas II was another key figure of the First Hague Peace Conference, which was convened at the Tsar’s initiative.
A full-length portrait of Tsar Nicholas II was gifted by the Tsar himself to the Permanent Court of Arbitration shortly after its creation and displayed prominently in the PCA’s temporary office at Prinsegracht 71 during the construction of the Peace Palace. The Tsar’s portrait now hangs in one of the Court’s hearing rooms, the Small Courtroom.
Paintings by Ferdinand Bol
Ferdinand Bol (1616–1680) was a prominent Dutch painter and etcher from Dordrecht. A student of Rembrandt, Bol achieved significant success in Amsterdam, receiving prestigious commissions, including works for the new Amsterdam Town Hall and several portraits of Admiral Michiel de Ruyter. Bol’s career included significant contributions to portrait and history painting, and his works are held in high esteem in various museums, such as the Rijksmuseum and the National Gallery in London.
In the 1660s, the wealthy Utrecht widow Jacoba Lampsins (1613/14–67) commissioned four monumental history paintings for the drawing room of her house on the elegant Nieuwegracht. The daughter of an old and influential Calvinist family, Jacoba Lampsins was born in the province of Zeeland where the family had moved to escape the violence and religious persecution of the catholic Spanish during the Eighty Years War.
The different scenes can be linked to Lampsins’ biography: in the first painting, Aeneas, survivor of the fall of Troy, is pictured receiving a set of armour from the goddess Venus as he begins his journey to become the founder of Rome. Just like Aeneas, Jacoba’s family had had to flee their home. Crucial in this analogy is that Ostend, home to her ancestors, was at the time compared with Troy (it was even known as Nova Troja) because of the long siege and bloody conquest by the Spanish.
The two other paintings depict the Babylonian King Cyrus, returning the treasures of the Temple of Jerusalem to the people of Israel as they begin their voyage to the Promised Land and the Pharaoh’s daughter finding Moses in his reed basket floating in the Nile, hidden by his mother to escape the Pharaoh’s wrath against the Jews.
Ceiling paintings by Gerard de Lairesse
Gerard de Lairesse (1640-1711) was a Flemish-born Dutch painter, etcher, and art theorist renowned for his classical and allegorical style. Born in Liège, he moved to Amsterdam around 1665 and gained prominence as a decorative painter. His works, influenced initially by Rembrandt and later by French neoclassical art, adorned the homes and palaces of Amsterdam with elaborate themes from antiquity.
In 1672, Gerard de Lairesse created a monumental three-part ceiling painting for the powerful former Amsterdam mayor Andries de Graeff. The paintings glorified the De Graeff family’s role as the protector of the Dutch republic and were created for his residence in Amsterdam. The paintings, titled Unity, Freedom of Trade, and Protection from Danger, are rich in allegorical symbolism representing political ideals of the Dutch Republic.
The ceiling paintings were acquired during the construction of the Peace Palace as a fitting addition to the headquarters of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, reflecting its mission of fostering peace and global justice.
Bergerie by David Bles
Gifted by Mrs. Bles, a so-called “Bergerie” (a pastoral scene) mounted in the overmantle of the Secretary-General’s office.
David Joseph Bles (1821–1899) was a Dutch painter known for his genre paintings. He studied at The Hague Academy and later in Paris where he developed his skill in capturing nuanced, figurative subjects. Bles was highly respected in his time, becoming a member of the Royal Academy in Amsterdam from 1845 until his death in 1899, when the Permanent Court of Arbitration was created during the First Hague Peace Conference.
The painter’s widow, Mrs. Bles, gifted a pastoral scene for the decoration of the Court’s headquarters a few years later, and it still adorns the office of the Secretary-General of the PCA to this day.
“Pax” by Eugène Chigot
Eugène Henri Alexandre Chigot was a prominent French post-impressionist painter known for his landscapes and maritime scenes. Born into an artistic family, he studied at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he was influenced by both the Barbizon School and Impressionism.
In 1891, after being appointed as an official government artist, Chigot created a series of commemorative paintings depicting notable events such as the visit of Russian Admiral Theodor Avellan to Toulon and the departure of President Félix Faure from France to meet the Russian Tsar and formalize the Franco-Russian Alliance.
In 1913, the French governments gifted a large painting by Eugène Chigot to hang in the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s newly built headquarters, the Peace Palace. Titled “Pax”, the painting depicts an idyllic scene of rural peace.
“La Paix par l’Arbitrage” by Paul-Albert Besnard
The French government commissioned and gifted another painting for the decoration of the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s courtroom: titled “La Paix par l’Arbitrage” (Peace through Arbitration), the monumental painting by French artist Paul-Albert Besnard depicts an arbitration scene.
At the centre, Eirene, the goddess of peace, holds Plutus, the god of wealth, in her arms. She is flanked by two warriors on horseback, representing the parties in dispute. Above them, two advocates present their cases to an arbitrator dressed in red robes, with a barely visible scale in the sky symbolizing justice. The arbitrator leans toward the weaker, barefoot horseman, conveying the idea that justice can enable the weaker party to prevail, even without force.
• Tapestries and Rugs
Japanese silk tapestries
Informally known as the “Japanese Room”, the PCA’s Administrative Council Chamber derives its nickname from the intricate silk tapestries adorning its walls.
Titled “A hundred flowers and a hundred birds in late spring and early summer”, the tapestries were a gift from Japan and were hand-woven using small silk loops in the “Tsuzure Nishiki” technique by 48,600 skilled Japanese artisans over the course of four years.
Tapestry ” The Glorification of Peace”
This design for a tapestry by Luc-Olivier Merson was a gift from France and depicts the Goddess of Peace on her throne surrounded by human virtues. Beneath her, the defeated figure of Mars, the god of war, represents the triumph of peace over conflict—the Goddess of Peace has taken away his sword, which lies in her lap as the weeds at the bottom swallow the armaments of war.
In a tragic twist of fate, the artist, Luc-Olivier Merson, died in 1920 before completing the work. He was taken away from The Hague during World War I and never made it back. It was therefore decided that it should be left unfinished as a reminder of the costs of war to the arts among other human endeavours.
Hereke rug
In 1911, the Ottoman Empire donated a large rug from the Hereke Imperial Manufacture for the PCA’s Administrative Council Chamber. Measuring 161.5 square meters (1,738 square feet) and weighing over 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds), it is said to be the largest in the world outside of Türkiye, where it is currently undergoing an extensive restoration.
The Ottoman sultan Abdülmecid I founded the Hereke Imperial Manufacture in 1841 to produce all the textiles for his Dolmabahçe Palace on the Bosphorus. He gathered the best artists and carpet weavers of the Ottoman Empire in Hereke, where they began producing high-quality rugs and large carpets with unique patterns. After completing work on the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Ottoman sultans used to give Hereke carpets as gifts to selected visiting royalty, noblemen and statesmen.
• Stained glass windows
Stained-glass windows (Central Staircase)
The seven stained glass windows above the main staircase were a gift from the Netherlands and were manufactured by the Prinsenhof studio from the firm Schouten in Delft. The central windows represent the glorification of peace and justice. As one moves to the sides physically and metaphorically away from the central figure of peace, the windows depict the horrors of war. The Latin inscriptions under the windows emphasize this theme:
o In the center window at the top, a female figure “Peace,” with the sun rising behind her and sending out its golden rays; the window pane below reads: “Pax in Terris” (Peace on Earth). She is flanked on the left by “Justitia Victrix” (Justice Victorious) and on the right by “Sapientia Monens” (Wisdom Admonishing).
o To the left of these are the words: “Novus rerum nascitur ordo” (A new world order is born), and to the right: “Voluntatis sententia” (Expression of the will). In the lower sections under Peace are: “Iris” (the Rainbow) and “Scientiae” (Science); under Justice: “Terra” (Earth) and “Mare” (Sea); on the right: “Industria” (Industry) and “Mercatura” (Commerce).
o Finally, in the outer windows, left: “Fatum supremum” (Death as the end of War), and right: “Furor belli” (The Fury of War).
Stained glass windows (Great Hall of Justice)
Great-Britain, another one of the PCA’s Founding Nations, gifted four large stained glass windows by acclaimed Scottish artist Douglas Strachan for the decoration of the Court’s headquarters.
The panels depict the evolution of the ideal of peace across four distinct eras. The first illustrates the primitive age; the second represents the age of conquest; the third, on the right, reflects “the present time, referring to the period when the Palace was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century; and the far-right panel envisions a future of achieved peace, symbolizing a world shaped by international law and justice.
• Light fixtures
Candelabras
Austria donated the gilt-bronze candelabras adorning the central staircase. They were manufactured by the renowned Viennese Berndorfer Metall Company Arthur Krupp, which also supplied Empress Elisabeth of Austria (better known as Sissi) with fine tableware that can still be admired in Vienna’s Imperial Palace—the Hofburg, seat of the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s Vienna Office.
Wall candelabras
Two imposing light fixtures adorn the walls of the central staircase: these two bronze reliefs, designed by B. Ingenhousz and executed by F.W. Braat, representing Western and Eastern civilization.
In addition to their practical function as a lighting source, these candelabras symbolize enlightenment and peace and each bear the inscription “Pax” (Peace) and “Lex” (Law).
• Vases
Russian Vase
The Russian Vase was donated by Tsar Nicolas II of Russia, whose name appears on the sides of the vase, together with the Romanov family crest and the two headed imperial eagle. The vase weighs about 3500 kilos and is made of solid jasper stone from the Ural Mountains in western Russia.
It is symbolically placed right over the cornerstone of the Peace Palace in order to recognize the pivotal role of the Tsar in calling for the 1899 Hague Peace Conference that established the PCA.
Majolica vases
Hungary donated four large vases made of majolica porcelain from the famed Zsolnay Manufacture in Pécs, in the South of Hungary.
Topped by the Hungarian royal crown, the vases feature red and blue ornaments symbolizing peace and justice, while the owls and lions represent wisdom and strength.
Rozenburg vases
The five Art Nouveau vases displayed on the landing of the main staircase were created by the Royal Rozenburg Pottery and gifted by the City of Amsterdam to commemorate the First Hague Peace Conference of 1899.
Each vase is hand-painted with motifs representing significant symbols and locations associated with the Peace Conference, such as Palace Huis ten Bosch (where the conference took place), the Vijverberg in The Hague (the seat of the Dutch government), and the Groenburgwal in Amsterdam (in a nod to the capital of the host country). Three of the vases feature domed lids shaped like Russian churches, symbolizing Russia’s pivotal role in initiating the conference. The other two vases honour Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, reflecting their contributions to the First Hague Peace Conference and the creation of the PCA.
Chinese Qing dynasty vases and cloisonné incense vessels
In 1909, the last emperor of China commissioned the Institution industrielle de Pékin to produce two porcelain vases and two incense vessels for the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s headquarters, where they were given a prominent place in the PCA’s Administrative Council Chamber.
The incense vessels are decorated using a traditional enamel technique known as “cloisonné”, which involves placing metal wires on a metal surface to create compartments (“cloisons”) that are then filled with enamel paste. Cloisonné pieces were popular in the imperial court for their vibrant colors and intricate designs, often featuring auspicious symbols such as flowers, animals, and religious motifs.
The exceptionally large porcelain vases were manufactured in the highly coveted “Famille rose” style and feature elaborate scenes of flowering plants such as peony, chrysanthemum, daisy, begonia, and other exotic blooms. Set with two turquoise enamelled handles shaped as clambering “Chilong” figures (a young, hornless dragon symbolizing strength), the vases’ central ornament depicts an imperial dragon recognizable by its five claws: the five-clawed dragon, or “Long,” symbolizes supreme power and was exclusively used by the Chinese emperor to reflect his divine right to rule. During the Qing dynasty, only the emperor could use the five-clawed dragon, while three or four-clawed dragons were reserved for nobles and officials.
During the Qing era, these vases were often used as diplomatic gifts to symbolize goodwill and the rich artistic heritage of China, conveying a message of cultural sophistication and imperial grandeur.
• Sculptures
Christ of the Andes
A replica of the much larger statue on top of the Andes Mountains on the border between Argentina and Chile, this sculpture was executed by Belgian sculptor Jules Lagae and presented by Argentina. The original stands as a symbol of peace and unity between the two nations and was made in 1905 from the melted bronze of canons to celebrate the peaceful resolution of the border dispute between the two countries.
Polar Bear Fountain
Denmark’s gift was a monumental fountain for the Peace Palace’s inner courtyard. Known as the “Polar Bear Fountain”, it was manufactured by the Royal Danish Porcelain Factory under the direction of its newly-appointed director, Arnold Krog.
This spectacular design by Carl Johan Bonessen (1868-1933) consists of a round basin with a red granite rim, topped by several porcelain sculptures of polar bears and sea lions made by the Royal Danish Porcelain Factory (better known as Royal Copenhagen).
Peace through Justice
The white marble statue presiding over the central staircase was yet another gift from one the PCA’s Founding States, the United States of America. The sculptor, Andrew O’Connor, gave it the title “Peace through Justice”. The statue represents a modern, sleeker version of Lady Justice, pictured without her traditional attributes (scales, a sword and a blindfold). Instead, she sports a ring on her finger representing the unity of peace and justice.
Pax Statue
Gifted by Poland, this marble statue of the Roman Goddess of Peace was executed by the sculptor Edward Wittig. A similar statue can be admired in the Warsaw National Museum of Art.
Knossos Throne
Greece’s gift to the Permanent Court of Arbitration was a white marble replica of the famous Knossos throne discovered in Crete around the time of the Court’s creation during the First Hague Peace Conference of 1899.
In 1900, British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans unearthed the Knossos Throne in Crete, believed to be the oldest throne in Europe, dating back to the 15th century BC. Located in the heart of the Minoan Palace of Knossos, this alabaster seat was initially thought to belong to King Minos, the legendary ruler of Crete.
Le Spectre de la Guerre
Shortly after Chile became a Contracting Party of the PCA in 1907, the Chilean government commissioned a sculpture titled “Le Spectre de la Guerre” (“The Spectre of War”) as a gift for the PCA’s new headquarters.
Standing 4.5 meters tall, the monumental sculpture portrays the destructive and haunting presence of war and towers over a tranquil corner of the garden, where it stands as a stark contrast to the surrounding symbols of peace. Matte Bello’s piece emphasizes the horrors and devastation caused by war, with the sculptor’s deeply emotional style resonating throughout the work.
Rebeca Matte Bello (1875-1929) was not only the first Chilean woman to embrace the profession of sculptor but also the first to be appointed professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence.
• Other Gifts
Australian desk
The Commonwealth of Australia gifted a writing table and inkstand to the PCA’s headquarters.
The table is constructed of magnificent samples of Australian ornamental woods comprising jarrah, from West Australia, blue gum from Tasmania, cedar from New South Wales, blackwood and silky oak from Victoria, and beech from Queensland. Of interest are the inlays of red gum (now quite black), which are made out of some sections of a very old corduroy road found during excavations in Melbourne at the beginning of the 20th century. The inlays generally are of satin box and red gum, with squares of pearl, turquoise, and pure gold. Some very rich pieces of musk and wild olive have been used as insets in the panelling.
The carved band round table has a distinct Australian significance, comprising a band of gum leaves with wattle and containing the local flora and foliage of the different States, such as Christmas bells, scarlet gum flowers, waratah, cushion and flannel flowers. Some of the small marsupials indigenous only to Australia are shown (life size) also in the carving, such as the jorboa (pouched mice), flying squirrel, long-snouted phalanger, brush-tailed rat, kangaroo and birds. The silver handles represent Australian animals, richly modelled and chased.
Australian inkstand
The inkstand gifted by Australia is formed of gold, silver and colored enamels. The various Australian States are represented by gold and enamelled shields. These are surrounded by richly chased bands, representing gum leaves. Between the inkwells is a gold representation of the Australian coat of arms, with the shields in enamel and surmounting this is a richly wrought silver moulding representing gum leaves, wattle, and little opossums.
Twelve silver inkwells from Spain
Luis Espuñes, a renowned Spanish silversmith, created twelve square silver inkwells that Spain donated to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 1914. These inkwells, decorated with the Spanish coat of arms, were intended for use during meetings of the PCA’s Administrative Council.
Silver items were often used as diplomatic gifts to reflect a nation’s artistic heritage and goodwill. These inkwells continue to be used by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, symbolizing Spain’s commitment to international diplomacy and cooperation.
Elephant tusks from Thailand
The Kingdom of Thailand (then known as the Kingdom of Siam) gifted a pair of elephant tusks as a symbol of Thailand’s heritage. Each elephant tusk is fitted with a silver band bearing a plaque with the country’s coat of arms and the inscription “Don de S.M. le Roi de Siam”.
The gift of elephant tusks from Thailand represented an important instance of “elephant diplomacy”, which was a significant cultural and diplomatic practice used by Thailand at the time, and especially by Thai monarchs. The gesture of giving elephants or their ivory was seen as a symbol of friendship and a means to strengthen diplomatic ties as elephants hold deep cultural and religious significance in Thailand, particularly white elephants, which are considered symbols of prosperity and good fortune.
Inkwells from Thailand
In addition to the pair of elephant tusks, the King of Thailand gifted two intricate gilt inkwells to the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The choice of an inkwell as a diplomatic gift emphasized the importance of writing, dialogue, and peaceful resolution in international relations.
