The Mauritshuis was built in the 17th century as a city palace for Count Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen (1604–1679) and bought in 1820 by the Dutch state to house the Royal Cabinet of Paintings. Though Vincent never spoke of visiting the Mauritshuis in his letters, he did mention specific works from its collection (for example, Jacob van Ruisdael’s View of Haarlem with Bleaching Field in the Foreground (1628–1682)), and “the Maurithuis here”. It is therefore likely that he saw the museum and its collection. Indeed, it is almost unthinkable that an art lover like him would not have done so.
Tips & remarks