Mayor of Beijing visits Rijksmuseum
On 8 September, the mayor of Beijing, Mr. Guo Jinlong, and a delegation from the Bank of Beijing paid a visit to the Rijksmuseum at the special invitation of Mr Wim Pijbes, general director of the museum. The visit took place prior to the signing ceremony at ING's head office for two memoranda of understanding.
Besides the mayor of Beijing, the group included president Yan and chief supervisor Shi, both of Bank of Beijing, and Eli Leenaars, member of the Bank Board, and Lard Friese, member of the Insurance Board, both on behalf of ING.
Masterpieces
The guests were given a special, personal tour by Pijbes along a number of masterpieces from the Rijksmuseum's collection, including The Milkmaid by Vermeer, Bust of a Man in Oriental Costume (Rembrandt) and, of course, The Night Watch. Pijbes also treated them to another three masterpieces: ivory Chinese boxes from the early 19th century. “We were quite pleased”, tells Pijbes, “that ING's Chinese guests wanted to visit the Rijksmuseum. The mayor of Beijing told me he really appreciated the highly interesting visit to the museum.”
Chinese boxes
China, around 1800
ivory
Exquisitely carved openwork ivory was cherished by the European merchants who traded in Chinese harbour city Canton at the end of the 18th century. These boxes were among the most prestigious objects that money could buy there. The boxes have been cleaned. Missing pieces of the panels have been replaced with synthetic resin here and there. The fractures have been glued and, where necessary, reinforced with extremely thin Japanese paper.
Vincent on tour to Beijing
“We ‘do’ a lot with China”, continues Pijbes. “'In 2007, we loaned out Bust of a Man in Oriental Costume for Rembrandt and the Golden Age, an exhibition in Shanghai. And the only self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh in our possession can be seen until 9 October in Beijing's Capital Museum at Van Gogh and the Amsterdam Impressionists, a current exhibition. We are also working with the museum to share our knowledge and expertise.”
Sponsor
A major sponsor of the Rijksmuseum, ING works with the museum closely in a number of different areas. “That was one of the reasons it was so special for us to help make the visit to ING by the delegation from the Bank of Beijing, along with the mayor of Beijing, a success”, concludes Pijbes.