Head of a Dutch museum sees Sheikh Tamim’s official visit to the Netherlands as a catalyst for a symbiotic relationship between the Mauritshuis and Qatari museums.
The general director of the Mauritshuis art museum has hinted at stronger cultural bilateral ties between Qatar and the Netherlands being on the horizon.
In an interview with the Qatar News Agency (QNA), Martine Gosselink expressed openness to exploring art exchange initiatives with Qatari museums, potentially involving the borrowing and exchange of rare art pieces.
For instance, the Mauritshuis’ most famed piece is the ‘Girl with the Pearl Earring’ painting by Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer. Despite being home to such a monumental piece, Gosselink described the museum in modest terms.Â
“We are not like the Louvre or the Metropolitan, we are a very tiny building,” she said.Â
Gosselink highlighted Qatar’s rapid cultural development in recent decades through art festivals, the establishment of museums, and its rich ancient culture, and said that
greater cultural links between the two countries will enhance Dutch appreciation for Middle Eastern cultures.
She also noted that the Netherlands already boasts a vibrant artistic community, where creators from Palestine, Iraq, and other countries foster cross-cultural dialogue and understanding.
Gosselink hailed Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for ushering the exploration of Qatar-Dutch cultural exchanges and bolstering bilateral ties.
Her comments followed the arrival of the Qatari leader to the Netherlands for an official visit, which began on Sunday.
Several Dutch officials, including Ahmed Aboutaleb, the outgoing mayor of Rotterdam, joined Gosselink in commending Sheikh Tamim’s efforts to enhance Qatar-Dutch relations. Aboutaleb emphasised the Netherlands’ support for Sheikh Tamim’s approach to international mediation.Â
“Qatar is a very important country in the Middle East, and its leadership has shown to be open in trying to solve and contribute to solving world problems,” he said.
