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Founded in 1807, The Hunterian is Scotland’s oldest public museum. Its Dutch and Flemish Art collection constitutes one of its main strengths and comprises significant paintings and works on paper spanning from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. A number of these came from the founding bequest of William Hunter (1718-1783), including exceptional examples such as The Entombment Sketch by Rembrandt or Head of an Old Man by Peter Paul Rubens. In the twentieth century, the collection was greatly strengthened by the gift from Ina J. Smillie consisting of twenty-six Dutch and Flemish paintings encompassing, amongst others, works by Nicolaes Maes, Anthonie and Johannes Leemans, Erasmus Quellinus or a rare example by Hans Horions. The Dutch and Flemish collections feature prominently in the Hunterian public displays, with prominent works like Portrait of a Lady with a Parrot by Antonis Mor or Landscape in Holland by Philips Koninck. The extensive print collection includes works by Old Masters including superb examples from Martin Schongauer to Rembrandt.
Lola Sanchez-Jauregui, Art Curator (May 2021)