Galerie des Tableaux de S.M. le Roi Guilaume II. Livre de souscription des visiteurs 1839-1848

Stunning and unique album with over 5000 signatures of visitors from all over the world to the infamous galerie of Koning Willem II (1792-1849) in Palace Kneuterdijk. A staggeringly large collection of signatures of the Dutch and European nobility and upper class (and partly from other continents) from the first half of the 19th century. A random selection of the names on the first pages (the album has more than 200 written pages): Andreas Schelfhout, painter; baron De Pélichy de Lichtervelde; Sir Robert Graham, judge; Dirk Hendrik Kolff, Gouverneur Generaal Dutch Indies; Evert Rein van Nes van Meerkerk, Hooge Raad der Nederlanden; John Loudon McAdam, Scotland. Civil engineer/road builder; J. Alberdingk Thijm, writer- and more. Folio (44 x 30 cm) red cloth with gilt lettering.

Dutch king Willem II was a renowned art-lover and collector, his impressive collection entailed works by Rubens, Rembrandt, Da Vinci, Rafaël. He also pioneered in the filed of Flemish primitives (such as van Eyck). After his death the Royal family was unpleasantly surprised by his debts and ordered for the collection to be sold in auction, which raised a total of 831.753 guilders. This hand-written visitors book is gives a rare inside to the impact and importance of this lost collection.