Altena drawings dispersed but not disappeared

18 November 2014 | Haarlem

The first Van Regteren Altena sale at Christie’s London on 10 July 2014 is considered to have been one of the most important events in this field of the last decades. Most of the 71 drawings by sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Netherlandish artists will from now on be cherished by several museums and private collectors, primarily in the United States, The Netherlands, France and Belgium. The most successful buyer at the sale was a well-known collector from New York, who allegedly acquired eight of the most important sheets, and alone is responsible for about half the €6,5m total revenue of the sale.

Three Dutch museums (Rijksmuseum, Teylers Museum and Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen) acquired six drawings (2-3-1 resp.) thanks to a national initiative by Dutch cultural funds lead by the renowned Vereniging Rembrandt who bought the sheets at auction. The acquisitions were presented yesterday evening during a meeting at the Teylers Museum where they will stay on show during a week, together with a small number of related drawings, prints and a painting. Read more and more. See also Ger Luijten’s article in the Autumn issue of the bulletin of the Vereniging Rembrandt.

Below (click the ‘read more’ link) is a provisional list of the known or alleged fortunate new owners of 51 of the 71 drawings; names of private collectors and art dealers have been left out. Please inform us of addenda et corrigenda.

USA

Boston area, private collection: Karel van Mander (no. 21, Male Nude Standing), Jan Pynas (no. 34, Mountainous Landscape)

Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago: De Momper (no. 3, Castle on a Crag), Goltzius (no. 23, Laocoon Heads)

Houston, Museum of Fine Arts: Van Uden (no. 17, River Panorama)

Los Angeles, Getty Museum: Buytewech (no. 35, Peasant Girl), Esaias van de Velde (no. 38, Winter Landscape), Herman Saftleven (no. 70, Hollyhock)

New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hondius (no. 15, River Landscape), Jan van de Velde (no. 37, Ruin near River), Lastman (no. 41 (Man with Chest), De Bray (no. 67, Musical Emblem)

New York/London, art dealer: Rembrandt (no. 42, Young Man Leaning)

New York, private collection: Averkamp (no. 40, Shipwreck), Potter (no. 54, Herdsman in Shelter), Wyck (no. 64, Palazzo Contarini)

New York, private collection: Rutgers (no. 71, Skaters)

New York, private collection: De Gheyn III attr. (no. 30, Bear cub)

New York, private collection: Jan Bruegel (no. 8, Fishing Vessels), Rubens (no. 9, Samson & Delilah), Jacob Jordaens (no. 11, Piper’s Head), Goltzius (no. 22, Hand), De Gheyn (no. 24 Beech Tree), De Gheyn (no. 27, Canal with Bridge), Van den Eeckhout (no. 47, African with Parasol), Verwer (no. 56, Climbing Plants)

Princeton University: Maes (no. 45, Isaac Blessing Jacob)

American buyer: Van Heemskerck (no. 20, Roman Sculpture)

The Netherlands and Belgium

Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum: Matthijs Cock (no. 4, Coastal Landscape), Vermeyen (no. 19, Lamentation)

Haarlem, Teylers Museum: Hans Savery (no. 7, Bactrian Camels), Lagoor (no. 60, Olive Trees), Verboom (no. 69, Windswept Tree)

Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen: Bloemaert (no. 32, Reclining Male Nude)

Amsterdam, private collection: Lievens (no. 44, River Gods), Ruisdael (no. 55, River Landscape)

Netherlands/Belgium, private collection: Berchem (no. 58, Frontispiece)

Belgium, private collection: Aertgen van Leyden (no. 18, Resurrection), De Gheyn (no. 26, Dead Birds), Vroom (no. 36, Aix-en-Provence)

Belgium, private collection:: Van Stinemolen (no. 5, Amphitheatre), Jacob van der Ulft (no. 59, Tivoli)

France

Paris, Musée du Louvre: Hogenberg (no. 1, Man of Sorrows)

Paris, Fondation Custodia: Worst (no. 62, Ponte Rotto), Van Slingelandt (no. 68, Cradle)

Paris, private collection: De Gheyn (no. 25, Kneeling Shepherd), De Gheyn (no. 28, Exercise of Arms)

United Kingdom

London, art dealer: Schellinks (no. 65, Grotto)

Far East

Hong Kong, private collection: Cornelis Visscher (no. 52, Boy’s Portrait), Waterloo (no. 63, Bridge Lyon)