Louvre works with Rijksmuseum to buy early Rembrandt portraits

two rembrandts for saleThe Louvre in Paris is working with Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum to try to buy two Rembrandt portraits from the wealthy Rothschild family, the French museum’s director Jean-Luc Martinez told broadcaster BFM Business.

In an interview, Martinez says he approached Rijksmuseum director Wim Pijbes about a joint effort and says the French and Dutch culture ministers have also been in touch about the purchase, the NRC reports.

If they are successful, the museums will take turns to exhibit the portraits.

The NRC says the Rijksmuseum has declined to comment on the Louvre’s involvement in the deal.

Pijbes told BNR radio two weeks ago the Rijksmuseum was making a ‘serious effort’ to buy the works, a pair of wedding portraits which show Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit and date from 1634.

The €160m price tag would make them the most expensive purchase ever made by a Dutch museum.

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