Thoré-Bürger’s Museum of Amsterdam
‘Ah! If only Holland would let me compile catalogues of its museums! There are no catalogues, only insignificant notes, and for so many treasures! They themselves know nothing about their masters, nor the most famous artworks of their masters. No one can say anything about the Night Watch!1
– Thoré-Bürger, in a letter to Félix Delhasse, 20 October 1856.
Rembrandt
Civic guardsmen of Amsterdam under command of Banninck Cocq, dated 1642
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv./cat.nr. SK-C-5
Notes
1 ‘Ah! si la Hollande voulait me faire faire les catalogues de ses musées! Il n'y en a point les catalogues, que des notes insignifiantes, et pour tant de trésors! Ils ne connaissent point du tout eux-mêmes leur maitres, ni les oeuvres les plus célêbres de leur maitres. Personne ne peut rien dire sur la Ronde de nuit!'. Letter from Thoré-Bürger to Félix Delhasse, 20 October 1856, published in: Cottin 1900, p. 160. Also see Jowell 2001, p. 53.