Independent study commissioned of Royal Collections
The governing body of the House of Orange-Nassau Historic Collections Trust has decided to commission an independent study of the origin of museum pieces that became part of the Royal Collections after 1933.
If objects are found whose origins are deemed unlawful by the standards of the Committee on Museum Acquisitions, the board will act in accordance with the criteria established under the central government restitution policy.
The scope of the study will encompass all the individual collections that form the Royal Collections, plus museum pieces from the estate of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard, in so far as they are still in the Royal Family's possession. An independent expert with specific experience in the field will conduct the study, assisted by a specially formed committee consisting of:
- Professor R.E.O. Ekkart (former director of the Netherlands Institute for Art History and chair of the Supervisory Committee on Museum Acquisitions since 1933);
- Professor J.P. Sigmond (former director of collections of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and a member of the governing body of the House of Orange-Nassau Historic Collections Trust, representing the Minister of Education, Culture and Science);
- Ms J.C.E. Belinfante (former MP and former director of the Jewish Historical Museum).
On the basis of the findings of this independent study, the committee will draw up recommendations on further decision-making by the governing body of the House of Orange-Nassau Historic Collections Trust.