Thyssen-Bornemisza and Mauritshuis exchange 50 masterpieces

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid and the Mauritshuis in The Hague have engaged in a simultaneous exchange of twenty-five masterpieces each. This pioneering operation, titled “Obras maestras de La Haya en Madrid” in Spain and replicated in the Netherlands, aims to strengthen the cultural link between Madrid and Amsterdam.

The Mauritshuis collection on display in Madrid features works spanning from 1615 to 1705, organized into three thematic rooms: still lifes and genre scenes, landscapes and figurative compositions, and a third section featuring significant works such as the collaboration between Jan Brueghel the Elder and Peter Paul Rubens, and Johannes Vermeer’s “View of Delft”.

To facilitate the transport of these high-value works, the Spanish State provided a guarantee of 378.8 million euros, according to the Official State Gazette. The exhibition highlights the historical fascination with Dutch Golden Age painting, including the profound impact of Vermeer’s work on figures such as Marcel Proust.