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Mauritshuis Acquires Unique Painting by Jan Steen

The Mauritshuis has acquired the exceptional history painting, Moses and Pharaoh’s Crown by Jan Steen (1626-1679), from a private collection.


Jan Steen (1626-1679), Moses and Pharaoh’s Crown, c.1670, Canvas, 78 x79 cm. Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague

The museum already owns a superb collection of fourteen paintings by Steen, including undisputed highlights such as Girl Eating Oysters and ‘As the Old Sing, So Twitter The Young’. Until now, however, a history painting by Steen was lacking, so Moses and Pharaoh’s Crown represents a very welcome addition to the Mauritshuis’s collection. The skilfully painted canvas depicts a little-known episode from the childhood of Moses and demonstrates Jan Steen’s exceptional talent as a storyteller.

The new acquisition has been made possible thanks to the support of the BankGiro Lottery and will be on display as part of the exhibition Spice of Life: Jan Steen in the Mauritshuis (3 March – 13 June 2011).

www.mauritshuis.nl

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