ABN Amro seizes Dirk Scheringa museum’s collection

The DSB bank owner had used his museum’s art collection as security for a loan of EUR 32 million.

Spanbroek – Staff of the Scheringa Museum of Realist Art were shocked Tuesday evening as the museum’s permanent collection was seized by ABN Amro bank in lieu of DSB bank boss Dirk Scheringa’s unpaid loan.

Jan van Tongeren (1897-1991)

The Dirk Scheringa museum at the village of Spanbroek was emptied of 130 paintings that were security for a EUR 32 million loan. The collection, which has an estimated value of EUR 40 million, were packed into lorries and taken away without any notification.

Nrc.next quotes a canteen lady who said: “They (ABN Amro) came like thieves in the night.”

The collection is owned by DSB Beheer, the holding company of DSB bank which was declared bankrupt on Monday. DSB Beheer has also applied for bankruptcy.

The collection centres on work by Dutch magic realists such as Carel Willink and Dick Ket, but also includes paintings by international artists ranging from René Magritte to Lucian Freud and Marlene Dumas.

Scheringa had taken up the loan for the construction of a vast new museum in the nearby village of Opmeer, near Alkmaar (Netherlands).

Portrait of banker Dirk Scheringa (DSB Bank)

Although stripped of its permanent collection, the Scheringa Museum of Realist Art remains open with a guest exhibition of paintings by Jan van Tongeren.

Art lovers, museum director Sander Uitdenbogaard and Culture Minister Ronald Plasterk said they hope the collection will not be split up and will remain accessible to the public.

Posted by serge, 22 Oktober 2009. Post has 0 comments.
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