Committee to look at keeping Dutch art in NL, after royal Rubens sale

Former D66 leader Alexander Pechtold is to chair a four-strong committee set up to look at whether enough is being done to stop Dutch art in private hands being sold abroad.

The decision to set up the committee follows the controversial sale of a drawing by Rubens owned by princess Christina, although this was not given as the official reason.

The drawing, first bought by king Willem II, was sold at auction in New York for $8.2m to a private collector who outbid Dutch institutions.

Christina’s sister is the former queen Beatrix, who is patron of the Rembrandt Association, which discourages the sale of art works of national importance abroad.

Sjarel Ex, head of the Boymans van Beuningen museum, was furious that he did not get an opportunity to buy the drawing for the museum’s own collection.

‘There has been no consultation and that is not the right royal way,’ Ex said ahead of the sale. ‘This has been sprung on us. This collection is part of the Dutch national heritage. (..) Going to auction means the owner is only after the biggest prize. (..)’

Dutch museums thinking of selling off old masters have imposed a rule on themselves to inform interested parties in the Netherlands before involving an auction house. The royal family, which has a very large collection, does not honour this rule, the AD said at the time.