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Gallery Prince Willem V

The Hague, Netherlands · Website

The story

Step into the Gallery Prince Willem V on the Buitenhof and there is hardly any bare wall left. The paintings hang frame to frame, from low on the wall almost to the ceiling, big canvases in the middle and small panels packed symmetrically around them. That is how a prince's picture room looked in the 18th century, and this single long hall, about 25 metres from end to end, has been arranged to look that way again.

It was built for Prince William V of Orange, the stadholder who headed the Dutch Republic. In 1774 he had two houses on the Buitenhof, next to the old prison gate called the Gevangenpoort, turned into a gallery for his paintings, and visitors from outside the court could get in with a pass from the porter. It is often called the first museum in the Netherlands open to the public. In 1795 French armies confiscated the collection and sent it to the Louvre. Much of it came back after Napoleon's defeat, and in 1822 the pictures moved to the Mauritshuis, the royal picture gallery on the far side of the Hofvijver, the pond beside the Dutch parliament.

The Mauritshuis still runs the gallery, and the roughly 150 paintings on its walls belong to its collection. Among them are Frans Snyders' Still Life with Huntsman, which William V bought in 1768, and Gerard van Honthorst's life-size double portrait of the stadholder Frederik Hendrik and his wife Amalia of Solms. A combined ticket covers both buildings, and the way in is through the Gevangenpoort.

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Collection

116 works
The Adoration of the MagiThe Adoration of the MagiSalomon Koninck, 1650Allegory on the memory of Frederik Hendrik (1584-1647), prince of Orange, with the portrait of his widow Amalia van SolmsAllegory on the memory of Frederik Hendrik (1584-1647), prince of Orange, with the portrait of his widow Amalia van SolmsGovert Flinck, 1654Interior of a Catholic ChurchInterior of a Catholic ChurchBartholomeus van Bassen, 1626Landscape on the Edge of the DunesLandscape on the Edge of the DunesJan Vermeer van Haarlem the Elder, 1648Nymphs filling the horn of plentyNymphs filling the horn of plentyPeter Paul Rubens, 1615Still Life with HuntsmanStill Life with HuntsmanFrans Snyders, 1614Wooded Landscape with Gipsy WomenWooded Landscape with Gipsy WomenAbraham Govaerts, 1612Adam and EveAdam and EveMarcantonio Franceschini, 1680A Fishmonger at the DoorA Fishmonger at the DoorJacob Ochtervelt, 1663A Hunting Party near the Hofvijver in The Hague, Seen from the BuitenhofA Hunting Party near the Hofvijver in The Hague, Seen from the BuitenhofGerrit Adriaenszoon Berckheyde, 1688Ambushing a ConvoyAmbushing a ConvoyJan van HuchtenburghAmbushing an Army ConvoyAmbushing an Army ConvoyPieter Post, 1631Amorous CoupleAmorous CoupleJacob van LooAn Italian Harbour in Stormy WeatherAn Italian Harbour in Stormy WeatherJoseph Vernet, 1745A Sleeping Boy and a Man Removing Fleas from HimselfA Sleeping Boy and a Man Removing Fleas from HimselfMichiel Sweerts, 1652A Square with Imaginary BuildingsA Square with Imaginary BuildingsHendrik van Steenwijk II, 1614'As the Old Sing, so Pipe the Young''As the Old Sing, so Pipe the Young'Jan Steen, 1664Beach ViewBeach ViewAbraham Storck, 1683Boats at a Mooring PlaceBoats at a Mooring PlaceAbraham Storck, 1683Boy Sleeping in a BarnBoy Sleeping in a BarnFrançois Ryckhals, 1641Capriccio with RuinsCapriccio with RuinsPietro Bellotti, 1750Cavalry EngagementCavalry EngagementJan van HuchtenburghCavalry EngagementCavalry EngagementPieter Post, 1631Church InteriorChurch InteriorPieter Neefs the YoungerCock and Hens in a LandscapeCock and Hens in a LandscapeGijsbert d'Hondecoeter