Collection
collection Adriaan van der Hoop
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
collection Adriaan van der Hoop is a collection in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 3 works from its collection are in this catalog, including Jan Steen and Barend Cornelis Koekkoek.
About collection Adriaan van der Hoop
Overview
The Adriaan van der Hoop collection is a renowned assembly of Dutch Golden Age paintings and other art objects, originally assembled by the Dutch banker and politician Adriaan van der Hoop (1778–1854). Upon his death, the collection of approximately 250 works was bequeathed to the City of Amsterdam, forming the nucleus of a dedicated museum that operated from 1855 to 1885. In 1885, the entire collection was transferred to the newly opened Rijksmuseum, where it remains a cornerstone of the museum's holdings, featuring masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Jan Steen.
Life & Identity of the Collector
Adriaan van der Hoop was born on 28 April 1778 in Amsterdam and died on 17 March 1854 in the same city. He was a prominent Dutch banker, one of the richest men in the Netherlands during the first half of the 19th century, and an influential politician who served on the city council, the States-Provincial in Haarlem, and the Senate in The Hague. He studied law in Groningen and Kiel, traveled extensively, and later became a significant art and plant collector. He owned racehorses and cultivated rare plants, including 120 kinds of South African Erica, on his country estate Spaarnberg near Santpoort.
History & Founding
After Adriaan van der Hoop's death in 1854, his collection of 250 paintings was bequeathed to the City of Amsterdam. The city, which could barely afford the inheritance tax, established the Musée Van der Hoop in 1855 to display the collection. The museum operated in his former residence on the Keizersgracht until 1885, when it was merged with the newly built Rijksmuseum. Various catalogs were produced between 1858 and 1872 in Dutch and French to document the collection.
Collection Highlights & Notable Holdings
The collection included 250 works, featuring masterpieces by renowned Dutch Golden Age artists. Notable holdings include 'The Jewish Bride' by Rembrandt van Rijn, 'Woman Reading a Letter' by Johannes Vermeer, 'The Drunken Couple' by Jan Steen, and 'The Cannon Shot' by Willem van de Velde. The collection also contained works by Ruisdael, Adriaen van der Werff, and contemporary painters such as Jan Adam Kruseman, Johannes Christianus Schotel, and Barend Cornelis Koekkoek.
Significance & Legacy
The Adriaan van der Hoop collection significantly enriched the holdings of the Rijksmuseum, forming a vital part of its core collection. The transfer of the collection in 1885 marked a pivotal moment in the museum's history, bringing together some of the most important Dutch Golden Age paintings under one roof. The collection's integration into the Rijksmuseum ensured the preservation and public accessibility of these masterpieces, contributing to the museum's reputation as a leading institution for Dutch art.
Works from collection Adriaan van der Hoop
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collection Adriaan van der Hoop
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- Rijksmuseum