Linda and Daniel Bader have donated Rembrandt van Rijn’s Head of an Old Man with Curly Hair (1659) [Corpus VI, no. 276] to the Agnes Etherington Art Centre in honor of Daniel’s late father and Queen’s alumnus, Dr Alfred Bader. Dr Bader, chemist, entrepreneur, visionary philanthropist, and discerning collector of art, passed away on 23 December 2018.

This remarkable gift is the fourth Rembrandt painting to enter the Agnes collection. The other three were donated by Drs Alfred and Isabel Bader in 2003, 2007 and 2015. The museum now holds four of the seven authenticated paintings by this master in public Canadian collections.

Dr Jacquelyn N. Coutré, Bader Curator and Researcher of European Art at the Agnes, reflected on the impact of this generous gift saying, “The donation of Rembrandt van Rijn’s Head of an Old Man with Curly Hair by Linda and Daniel Bader is an extraordinary gesture. Not only is the work an exquisite rendering of old age and light that complements the three Rembrandt paintings in The Bader Collection, but its presentation to the Agnes honors Alfred’s memory in a tremendously appropriate manner. I am so pleased that this painting will be here to enrich possibilities for learning and discovery for all of our audiences.”

Head of an Old Man with Curly Hair is the latest addition to The Bader Collection, which comprises over 200 paintings spanning the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, with a focus on Dutch and Flemish paintings of the Baroque era, which together reflect Rembrandt’s sphere of artistic influence. The quality of these works has brought international renown to the Agnes making it a destination in Canada for the research, study and enjoyment of Rembrandt and his circle.