Young Man with a Sword
ArtistCircle of
Rembrandt van Rijn
(Dutch, 1606–1669)
Datecirca 1633–1645
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensionsoverall: 46 1/2 × 38 in. (118.1 × 96.5 cm)
frame: 58 1/8 × 51 7/8 × 5 1/4 in. (147.7 × 131.8 × 13.3 cm)
frame: 58 1/8 × 51 7/8 × 5 1/4 in. (147.7 × 131.8 × 13.3 cm)
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LineGift of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation
Object numberGL.60.17.68
On View
Not on viewCollections
[1] Listed as the lender of the painting to an exhibition at the Royal Academy, 1912, no. 81.
[2] Letter from J. G. van Gelder to Dr. Valentiner, Director of the NCMA, January 1957 [NCMA files], “As you know the picture [Rembrandt, Young Man with a Sword] was bought by Katz ofr (sic, i.e. “for”) the Mrs. Hartogh Collection in Arnhem, long before the war.” According to the Getty Provenance Index, “Public Collections Database,” “Katz verbally 1945 says ‘Formerly in Jewish Coll., Arnhem and put into auction by Germans’.”
[3] The sale also includes as lot 19, Rembrandt, De Berisping van David door Nathan, which Schaeffer records (no stock number) indicate was sold to Katz September 15, 1937 for $40,000 and was included by him in his 1938 exhibition. Notes in the photo file for the painting in the Schaeffer Records (GRI) cite a telephone conversation September 3, 1941 in which Miss Wittler of M. Knoedler and Company said that the picture was recently sold in The Hague for 135,000 florins. In January 1945 Knoedler stated it had never been in their possession and they did not know where it was. Nathan Katz, a prominent Jewish dealer in Holland, sold many paintings to Germans before obtaining an exit visa to Switzerland, reportedly with the help of Posse. He spent the war years in Basel, during which time he was represented in America by Schaeffer Galleries.
[4] Tietje was a German industrialist and collector who was associated with Miedle, Paech, and Heinrich Hoffmann. He was also a friend of Göring’s. He was believed to have been in Dutch custody at the end of the war. Check Tietje, SNK 1052. The number indicates he was a collector.
[5] In a letter to Benjamin Katz, dated April 13, 1955, Schaeffer questioned him about the provenance of the painting: “It bears a label of the ‘Stichting Nederlandsche Kunstbezit.’ I conclude from this, and the photograph in the Frick Collection confirms it, that it was taken by the Germans during the war and possibly sold in an auction. What do you know about this? If so, it could make an interesting story, which would help the sale.” There is no response from Katz in the file. Check Hartogs, SNK 148. The number indicates she was a victim of confiscation, forced sale, or theft.
[6] Discussion between Schaeffer and Mrs. Hartogs regarding the painting began in 1955. An annotation of Schaeffer’s stock card for the painting notes: “April 1955: Katz $10,000; Hartogs Dfl $300,000.” (Schaeffer Gallery Records, GRI, Box 87, correspondence 1955, F-M). In a letter November 25, 1955 to Schaeffer from Mevr, Dr. J. C. Hartogs, Sonsbeekweg 53, Arnhem, re. the sale of the Rembrandt; she says she has just been to see Katz, Dieren and that her price for the Rembrandt is 300,00 net. September 1956 Valentiner requested the loan of the painting from Schaeffer. Schaeffer also sold a Rembrandt, Landscape, for Mrs. Hartogs in 1955 (sold and return file), which had a Katz inventory number: K134.
[7] Schaeffer represented Katz in America during WWII and afterwards (see 1945 document, NYC, GRI).
Giuseppe Vittore Ghislandi, called Fra Galgario
circa 1720–1730
