The Gift
The 24 Italian paintings and the 12 sculptures had been part of the Reynst Collection assembled by Gerrit Reynst (also known as Gerard Reynst) and his brother Jan Reynst, who had been based in Venice for many years. Much of the collection originated from the famous Vendramin family collection there, though others had been acquired separately. After the death of Gerrit Reynst in 1658, his widow sold a selection of the finest works in the collection to the States-General in 1660 for the then considerable sum of 80,000 guilders.
In 1660 this group and twelve Roman sculptures was presented to Charles II, augmented by four non-Italian works. The gift was organized by the regents, especially the powerful Cornelis de Graeff and his younger brother Andries. The sculptures for the gift were selected by the pre-eminent sculptor in the Netherlands, Artus Quellinus, and Gerrit van Uylenburgh, the son of Rembrandt's dealer Hendrick van Uylenburgh, advised the States-General on the purchase. Much later he was to flee from financial difficulties to England and become Surveyor of the King's Pictures to Charles, from 1676 until his death three years later. The gift was unpopular with many of the Dutch people, and became a bone of contention between the Dutch political factions.
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