The French state refused to buy the canvas sold by its owners, because of the price set at 165 million euros, but the Netherlands say they are interested.
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France does not want to keep the ventripot moustacus. Or rather, she does not have the means. Even if the bedside is advantageous, the Gaillarded mustache and the Altier character, 165 million euros, it’s too much. The painting was painted by Rembrandt in 1636 and represents an extension rack, it is at least its title. The canvas is of good size (118.8 × 96.8 cm), and is, as far as it can be judged about the faith of a photograph (it has been very often exposed to the public), a very large Piece of painting. She has a beautiful pedigree – she belonged to King George IV of England and is today in the collection of the heirs of Elie and Liliane de Rothschild.
These had announced their decision to part with it in 2019 and requested an export certificate. Attached by its acquisition, the museums of France then obtained from the Ministry of Culture its ranking as a “national treasure”. The procedure prohibits its export for 30 months, the time to gather the amount necessary for its purchase. The call for patrons is the most common solution.
“Absolute masterpiece”
But there, 165 million euros, it’s a lot, even if we have experienced more expensive paintings. Especially since the French state has already acquired another Rembrandt in 2016 (from another branch of the Rothschild family) for 80 million euros, the maximum he has granted for a table. “This is a decision assumed taken in particular with regard to the exceptional level of the price,” said the Department at AFP, Tuesday, December 7th.
However, the site of the Tribune of Art notes that 165 million euros, it is precisely the amount that the Louvre Abu Dhabi will pay, following a recent agreement, at the Louvre Museum for Use its name for an extra ten years. As for the price asked for the table, it has been established contradictorily by a college of experts. It seems that they have not been wrong: the Netherlands announced Wednesday being interested in what they qualify for “absolute masterpieces” and made an offer to 150 million euros.
If this offer is validated by the Dutch Parliament and accepted by the owners, the table could, as the Dutch Minister of Culture, “said,” after a centuries trip to him for Good “and join twenty-two of his little brothers – or his big brothers, if we think of the night round – at the Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam, where the French, among others, will have any leisure to go contemplate. By train from Paris, it takes just more than three hours.