From a report by the news agency AFP.
Dutch art dealer Robert Noortman, who was one of the most important dealers of 17th century Dutch masters and French impressionists, died, the ANP news agency reported.
Noortman, who was suffering from cancer, died suddenly from a heart attack at his home in neighbouring Belgium, ANP said.
Noortman opened his first gallery in the Netherlands in 1968, galleries in London and New York followed.
Besides selling paintings he also gave important works to the Dutch Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Mauritshuis in The Hague. The National Gallery in London also benefited from his generosity and boasts the Noortman Room of Dutch Cabinet Paintings.
Noortman devoted almost 40 years of his life to the master artists like Rembrandt, Rubens, Degas and Wouters finding their paintings owners that would "cherish" the works.
Noortman felt it was his responsibility to find a suitable buyer and said he sometimes guided the sale of certain works to museums such as the Dutch Rijksmuseum, the Louvre, and the National Gallery when he felt the paintings filled a void in their collections.
"There are people who have an eye for good art and people who can sell it. I was lucky enough to have the two," he told AFP in a 2005 interview.
The director emeritus of CODART, Gary Schwartz, would like to add a personal tribute to Rob Noortman, whom he knew for many years. Noortman was someone to whom you could always turn for advice and help. He was very aware of the indispensible role of the art historian and museum curator in establishing the values in which he dealt, and he reciprocated in the form of courtesy invitations to art fairs, access to his immense store of knowledge, cooperation in acquiring photos and information, contributions to acquisition campaigns, subventions for research projects and more. Even on occasions when you did not pick up the phone to call him, just knowing that he would always be available often gave moral support in difficult moments. Speaking for our many members who knew and admired this exceptional man, CODART extends condolences to his family and the staff of his distinguished gallery.