Dutch Masters from the Hermitage

Bought by Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and their heirs, the Dutch Masters in Russia became the Netherlands’ best ambassadors. And they continue to hold this status. In St Petersburg, these sublime paintings are accustomed to an audience of millions. They are the darlings of the museum. And what is so wonderful for us is that ambassadors sometimes travel, which is why these paintings can come to the Netherlands.

Why did the Russian aristocracy love Dutch art so much? How did the collection come together? And how did these Dutch paintings influence Russian art? In « Dutch Masters from the Hermitage », Dutch and Russian authors pose an answer to these questions.

Hermitage Amsterdam

The Hermitage Amsterdam takes it as their mission to draw upon art and history to inspire, enrich, and offer the opportunity for reflection. By way of their exhibitions and activities, the museum presents world heritage from the collections of various museums in innovative ways. The museum also houses collections from other museums, including the Amsterdam Museum, the Rijksmuseum (the exhibition Portrait Gallery of the 17th Century), and Museum van de Geest | Dolhuys (Museum of the Mind | Outsider Art).

The museum is housed in the Amstelhof, a historical building that used to be a home for the elderly from the late 15th all the way to the early 21th century. Only in 2007, the last residents were moved out of the building, which was in dire need of renovation. Two years later, on 20 June 2009 the Hermitage Amsterdam was opened to the public with the launch of the exhibition At the Russian court.