AMSTERDAM.- The Leiden Collection, the world’s most important private collection of paintings by revered Dutch artists of the 17th century, nears the conclusion of its tour in Amsterdam—with a selection of works seen by more than 750,000 people across two venues. On August 27, the Hermitage Amsterdam—as of September 1, the H’ART Museum—closed Rembrandt and His Contemporaries: History Paintings from The Leiden Collection. Over 100,000 visitors saw the exhibition of 35 works by the iconic Dutch Master Rembrandt van Rijn, his teacher Pieter Lastman, and many other leading artists of the Dutch Golden Age including Ferdinand Bol and Arent de Gelder. The Leiden Collection’s painting by Vermeer, Young Woman Seated at a Virginal, was seen by some 650,000 visitors as part of the Rijksmuseum’s blockbuster show Vermeer.

The sole remaining example of the master’s mature works still in private hands, The Leiden Collection’s Young Woman Seated at a Virginal will remain on view in the Rijksmuseum’s Gallery of Honour following the closure of Vermeer until October 10. A nod to the famed museum’s engagement of sixty years with this particular painting, the masterpiece will hang alongside the Rijksmuseum’s four Vermeers as well as the National Gallery of Art’s emblematic Girl with a Red Hat.

“It has been the thrill of a lifetime—and a distinct privilege—to bring these extraordinary works back to their homeland,” said Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan, co-founder of The Leiden Collection. “I cannot begin to express my family’s gratification at the truly marvelous response of the Dutch people to our participation in such a splendid cultural season, and their excitement in engaging with the fascinating stories behind these works. We look forward to returning to Amsterdam in 2025 to share even more paintings with the public and continue to examine the incredible artistic production of one of the world’s most consequential port cities of the 17th century, on the august occasion of its 750th anniversary.”

The Leiden Collection will return to the H’ART in 2025 for a jointly organized exhibition that will commemorate the enduring brilliance and transcendent impact of one of the Netherlands’ most celebrated artists—Rembrandt. Notably, this will be the first time ever that all 17 of the Collection’s Rembrandts will publicly appear together, alongside other significant works by Rembrandt’s circle.

Said Dr. Kaplan: “As the H’ART opens a new chapter in its elevated mission to bring art and narratives from all over the world to Amsterdam, we are honored and excited to partner once again with Director Annabelle Birnie and her fantastic team.”

The paintings and drawings by Rembrandt in The Leiden Collection span the entire arc of the master’s career. The earliest of these works are three allegorical paintings that Rembrandt executed in the mid-1620s: Unconscious Patient (Allegory of Smell), Three Musicians (Allegory of Hearing), and Stone Operation (Allegory of Touch). The Collection also includes exceptional portraits that Rembrandt produced after moving to Amsterdam in the early 1630s to manage the workshop of the art dealer Hendrick van Uylenburgh. Among these paintings are Young Girl in a Gold-Trimmed Cloak, Portrait of a Man in a Red Coat, and Portrait of Petronella Buys (1605–1670), as well as the artist’s most striking Self-Portrait with Shaded Eyes from 1634. The Collection also features Rembrandt’s smallest painting, a jewel-like grisaille oil sketch, Bust of a Bearded Old Man, signed and dated 1633, and a monumental history painting, Minerva in Her Study, dated 1635. Rembrandt’s late period is also represented with the expressive Portrait of a Seated Woman with Her Hands Clasped, signed and dated 1660.