Last summer, the Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar completely renewed the presentation of its collection, inviting visitors on a journey through the rich history of the city and its surroundings. One of the central themes explores how the people of Alkmaar have cared for one another over the centuries, which takes on added significance with the presentation of two rare group portraits by Lambert Doomer (1624-1700). These paintings are now on public display for the first time in many years, having been recently restored with the support of the Vereniging Rembrandt.

Doomer, who lived and worked in Alkmaar for more than 25 years, painted two important group portraits for municipal institutions: Three Regents of the Civil Orphanage in Alkmaar (1680) and The Regents of the Proveniershuis in Alkmaar (1681). These paintings are unique in his oeuvre and are among the few portraits by his hand in a Dutch public collection.

Both works were in poor condition and remained in the museum depot for a long time. The yellowed varnish and discoloured overpainting prevented a good view of the original representation. The right hand of one of the regents was badly damaged and had to be completely reconstructed. The restoration has breathed new life into the paintings, which now form a key part of the museum’s collection presentation.