26 March 2008

AMSTERDAM - The Rijksmuseum has opted not to buy Rembrandt's Portrait of Catrina Hooghsaet (1657), even though it had raised almost EUR 34 million to make the purchase.

A spokesperson for the museum in Amsterdam reported this Wednesday. After more than 6 months of negotiations the museum has decided against the purchase because "the expectations of the selling party continue to be too high, according to the experts."

The Rijksmuseum had already secured financial support from the Ministry of Education, Culture & Science, several funds, companies and private individuals to purchase the Rembrandt.

"Never before has a Dutch museum managed to get so much financial support for a purchase," the spokesperson said.

The Portrait of Catrina Hooghsaet (1657) has been in the private collection of a family at Penrhyn Castle in Wales for more than 100 years.

The work was on display in the Rijksmuseum for the Rembrandt jubilee year, from 29 November 2006 to 14 May 2007. Since then the museum has been trying to acquire the Rembrandt piece with the support of donors.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2008]