Prince William V Gallery

Gallerij Prins Willem V

Published: 02 September 2010 Modified: 07 December 2010

In the Prince William V Gallery visitors will encounter a rich and extravagant 18th-century royal collection of paintings.

Prince William V Gallery and Prison Gate Museum

The Prince William V Gallery was the first public collection of paintings in the Netherlands. In 1774 the stadholder William V, Prince of Orange-Nassau (1748-1806), brought the most important paintings of his collection together in this building on the Buitenhof and regularly opened his picture gallery to the public.

The largest part of William V’s collection was brought to the Mauritshuis in 1822, robbing the Gallery on the Buitenhof of its function. Now, however, it has been refurbished as a museum.

The Gallery gives a good impression of artistic tastes in the 18th century – the age of the periwig. Following the custom at that time, the walls of the long gallery are covered with paintings from floor to ceiling. Most of the paintings on display are by artists who were popular in the 18th century, such as Jan Steen, Philips Wouwerman, Abraham Bloemaert, Willem van de Velde and Gerard ter Borch. The paintings come from the Mauritshuis, supplemented by paintings on loan from other collections.

Newly renovated

A newly renovated Prince William V Gallery reopened in September 2010 together with the Gevangenpoort. The Prince William V Gallery and the Prison Gate Museum can be visited individually or jointly.