US EditionPair of Portraits by Dutch Master Frans Hals Return to the Netherlands
- On May 27, 2025, two Frans Hals portraits were acquired at a New York auction through a collaborative effort between the museums in Haarlem and The Hague.
- The two paintings, created around 1628 and believed to possibly feature the artist's own children, had been owned privately outside the Netherlands for more than a hundred years before being purchased at auction.
- The $7.8 million purchase was funded by the Dutch government and private contributors, with the paintings set to be exhibited on a rotating basis between museums in Haarlem and The Hague.
- Culture Minister Eppo Bruins expressed his delight that the Frans Hals paintings, which had been in the possession of a private owner outside the country, have now been returned to the Netherlands.
- The acquisition enriches Dutch cultural heritage by adding important Hals works that offer a glimpse into 17th-century life and showcase his distinctive brushwork.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Associated Press News
Pair of portraits by Dutch master Frans Hals return to the Netherlands
A pair of paintings by Dutch Golden Age master Frans Hals, possibly depicting his own children, are returning to the Netherlands after more than a century overseas in the hands of private owners.
Millions for Works of Dutch Master Frans Hals: Good Investment or Waste of Money?
Two children's portraits by Frans Hals are returning to the Netherlands thanks in part to a contribution from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Tax money spent on the purchase of expensive works of art is always met with criticism. This is also the case now. But shouldn't we just be happy with the purchase of these two historical works of art?
Dutch gov't contributes millions to museums' acquisition of two Frans Hals portraits
The Mauritshuis in The Hague and the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem have together purchased two portraits of children painted by Frans Hals (1583-1666) at an auction in New York. The works cost 7.8 million dollars, or 6.85 million euros. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science’s National Purchase Fund paid up to 40 percent of that amount, 2.74 million euros.
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