Financial support

Constant increases in the price of art have made it increasingly difficult for the Mauritshuis to purchase paintings. Financial support from non-governmental sources has therefore become indispensable.

The unstinting support of the Rembrandt Society (a private initiative committed to the preservation of works of art) has enabled the museum to buy a number of paintings, such as Jan Steen’s 'As the old sing, so pipe the young’ .

Jan Steen, 'As the old sing, so pipe the young'	Jan Davidsz de Heem, Flower still life

The Friends of the Mauritshuis, another source of support, regularly help the museum to acquire paintings. The Friends were instrumental in the museum’s 1993 acquisition of a still life by Jan Davidsz de Heem.

Since 1999 the Mauritshuis has received part of the proceeds from the Sponsor Lottery, called since 2004 the BankGiro Lottery. This money is reserved for the acquisition of art works.

Rembrandt, Portrait of an elderly man

If the purchase price is very high, financial support must be sought from more than one party. The 1999 acquisition of Rembrandt’s Portrait of an elderly man required financial assistance from no fewer than nine institutions and various private individuals to obtain the necessary 32 million guilders (c. 15 million euros).

See also Benefactors