AMSTERDAM (EJP)--- Thirty-two pieces of the so-called Goudstikker art collection have been placed on display at Christie’s in Amsterdam.

The paintings, to be displayed until 17 March are the first among the 202 pieces to be auctioned following their return to the Goudstikker heirs by the Dutch government in February 2006.

Among the paintings are “Gezicht op de plaats in Den Haag” (View on the place in The Hague) by Gerrit Berckheyde, valued at an estimated at 500.000 to 750.000 euros and “Altaarstuk” (Altar piece), by Jacob Cornelisz Oostzanen, worth around 2.5 to 4 million euros.

A third painting that is among the 32 on display is Jacob Van Ruysdael’s “Landschap bij Amersfoort” (Landscape near Amersfoort), estimated at 50.000 to 75.000 euros.

Winter sale

The Jewish Jacques Goudstikker (1897-1940) was the biggest art collector and salesman of the Netherlands. During the war, his collection was confiscated by the Germans. Goudstikker fled to the United Kingdom, but was killed in an accident during the journey over the North Sea.

His wife and son survived the war and later moved to the United States. In 1997, his heirs – his daughter-in-law and his two granddaughters – requested the Dutch government to return 267 of Goudstikkers paintings, most of which were among the crown pieces of important Dutch museums, permanently on display.

Jacques Goudstikker (1897-1940) was the biggest art collector and salesman of the Netherlands.

The pieces will be sold in London on July 5 and Amsterdam on November 14. According to Christie’s, it is a selection of “just a few among the most special items in the collection.”

The news comes just days after the Dutch government announced it had re-purchased five paintings from the Goudstikker collection.

In addition, the Goudstikker heirs decided to donate one painting to one Dutch museum. The family is also preparing a special exhibition, that will travel around the world, to enable the international public to see the collection by itself.

Uncertainty

Following years of negotiations, the Dutch government decided to return the 202 of the paintings in February 2006, as a “moral gesture”, while explicitly rejecting any legal claims.

It was not certain in recent weeks whether or not the Goudstikker heirs could actually get hold of the paintings returned to them last year.

A disagreement erupted between them and the lawyers who represented them, with the lawyers demanding 12 million euros, in stead of the 1,3 million the Marei von Saher, daughter-in-law of Goudstikker, offered.

One of her former lawyers, Roelof van Holthe tot Echten, threatened to confiscate all paintings until the disagreement had been settled. This made Von Saher and her daughters – granddaughters of Goudstikker – take their former lawyer to court, which decided that the Goudstikker heirs be allowed to sell some of the paintings, in order to settle the payment of their former lawyers.