Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum has acquired a painting by the 17th century painter Meindert Hobbema, it’s most important private donation in 50 years.

The painting, Forest scene with cheerful company in a wagon and painted around 1665, was given to the museum by Willem, Baron van Dedem, the founder of one of the world’s most important art and antique fairs, the Tefaf, Nos reports.

According to the museum, it is the most important private gift it has received in the past 50 years.

‘The Baron was here for the reopening in April last year,’ the museum’s head of collections Taco Dibbits told the NRC. ‘He thought it was ridiculous that we did not have a good Hobbema and decided to give us his.’

The precise value of the painting is not known, but a similar small work by Hobbema was auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York in 2006 and went for €3m.

The painting now hangs in the main gallery, near to the museum’s other Hobbema, Watermill.