Rijksmuseum Acquires Rembrandt’s 1636 masterpiece The Standard Bearer for its Collection

Rembrandt’s 1636 masterpiece The Standard Bearer was purchased by the Dutch state in January 2022 with the support of the Rembrandt Association and the Rijksmuseum Fund. It is widely considered the final major important painting by Rembrandt to enter a public collection.

Rembrandt’s The Standard Bearer will go on show in each of the 12 Dutch provinces, through a unique partnership between 12 museums, before permanently entering the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. These plans have been ratified by the Upper and Lower Houses of the Dutch Parliament.

“Returning the Standard Bearer to our country has been a dream for many generations. The quality of the painting and the fact that it marks Rembrandt’s artistic breakthrough makes it an unparalleled work by the master. It is when Rembrandt became Rembrandt! We are grateful to the Dutch State, The Rembrandt Association and many private benefactors for making this possible,” said Taco Dibbits, General Director of the Rijksmuseum.

This tour will enable as many people as possible to see this national treasure before it is permanently installed at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The tour begins in Friesland province in May 2022, where The Standard Bearer will be shown at the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden. The painting will then travel to each of the participating museums in turn, for three weeks at a time. All the museums will offer free admission on at least one day in this period. Once the tour is complete, visitors to the Rijksmuseum will be able to enjoy Rembrandt’s Standard Bearer on permanent display in the Gallery of Honour.

The painting’s tour of the Netherlands is being made possible by the Rijksmuseum, the Rembrandt Association and the Vrienden Lottery.

12 MUSEUMS IN 12 PROVINCES IN 12 MONTHS

The Standard Bearer will visit 12 museums in 12 provinces on its tour of the Netherlands, from May 2022 to May 2023. This will enable everyone in the country to become acquainted with The Standard Bearer in their home province.

1. Fries Museum in Leeuwarden, Friesland (May 2022)
2. Centraal Museum in Utrecht, Utrecht (June 2022)
3. Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar, North Holland (July 2022)
4. Drents Museum in Assen, Drenthe (August 2022)
5. Kunstlinie in Almere, Flevoland (September 2022)
6. Het Noordbrabants Museum in Den Bosch, North Brabant (October 2022)
7. Mauritshuis in The Hague, South Holland (November 2022)
8. Rijksmuseum Twenthe in Enschede, Overijssel (December 2022)
9. Museum Arnhem in Arnhem, Gelderland (January 2023)
10. Zeeuws Museum in Middelburg, Zeeland (February 2023)
11. Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht, Limburg (March 2023)
12. Groninger Museum in Groningen, Groningen (April 2023)

To give as many people as possible an opportunity to see The Standard Bearer, the intention is that each museum will offer free admission for at least one day. This will be in addition to the existing discounts available through the National Museum Card, the Rembrandt Association, the Vrienden Lottery and local schemes such as city passes.

Each museum will present The Standard Bearer in its own context and use its own resources to introduce Rembrandt’s masterpiece to audiences of all ages. A website will be published containing full information about the tour of The Standard Bearer.

The Rijksmuseum will also produce dedicated packages of teaching material for primary, secondary and vocational education that align with learning objectives in a range of curriculums.

In collaboration with the Rembrandt Association, an accompanying book will be published about the acquisition of the painting and its importance for the national collection of the Netherlands.