Netherlands to purchase Rembrandt Standard Bearer self-portrait:
The Netherlands government says it plans to purchase an iconic self-portrait taken by the famous 17th Century Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn.
It is seeking the approval of parliament to purchase the Standard Bearer, a work that is considered crucial to Dutch heritage and culture.
The masterpiece of 1636 has been the property of private collectors, including the Rothschilds, for many years.
The exhibit will be toured before it is shown at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum.
“The Standard Bearer is coming home for good after a journey of several centuries,” Culture Minister Ingrid van Engshoven said in an announcement.
The government has set aside EUR150m (PS129m or $170m) to purchase the painting. The museum’s fund will be able to contribute an additional EUR10m in addition to it will also give the Rembrandt Association EUR15m.
The painting depicts Rembrandt dressed as an official who led troops into battle during the Eighty Years War, culminating in the declaration of independence for the Netherlands in 1648.
It was displayed at an exhibit at Rijksmuseum in the year 2019.
The Standard Bearer has been owned by the French part of the Rothschild family since 1844.
France recognized it as a national treasure.
The Netherlands decided to purchase the French state, gave up its right to buy the painting, and instead allowed it to be an auction on the market.
