Buyer of mysterious $9m Rembrandt painting revealed
Thomas Kaplan’s Leiden Collection acquired St John on Patmos at Sotheby’s, the 18th work by the Dutch master to enter the collection
The New York-based owner of the Leiden Collection, Thomas Kaplan, has revealed his identity as the buyer of a major Rembrandt painting. St John on Patmos, a 1661 oil painting from late in Rembrandt's career, sold for $9 million at Sotheby’s last December. This acquisition marks the 18th Rembrandt painting in Kaplan’s collection over the past two decades.
Recently, Kaplan sold a Rembrandt drawing of a lion for nearly $18 million, raising questions about his decisions. Kaplan explains that his intention was to convert a portion of the lion sale into an endowment for big cat conservation through the Panthera organisation. St John on Patmos has been hidden from public view for over a century, with its recent unveiling revealing symbolic elements like a palm tree and an eagle.
The painting's provenance is complex, having changed hands multiple times, including being attributed to Carel Fabritius and sold for a mere $160 in 1904. Recently, a Sotheby’s auction revealed its true attribution and significance, leading to Kaplan's purchase. The painting's connection to Rembrandt's son Titus and its depiction of St John at Patmos adds to its allure.
Kaplan's collection now stands at 18 Rembrandt paintings, potentially impacting the market for these masterpieces.
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