The Jabach Portrait: An Extraordinary Acquisition

Charles Le Brun (French, 1619–1690). Everhard Jabach (1618–1695) and His Family (detail), ca. 1660. Oil on canvas; 110 1/4 x 129 1/8 in. (280 x 328 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Mrs. Charles Wrightsman Gift, 2014 (2014.250)

«I often remind people that when the Met was founded in 1870, it did not own a single work of art. The collection that we know and love today is the collective achievement of many collectors and donors—private citizens determined to share their passion for art with the public. The giant names—J.P. Morgan, Louisine and H.O. Havemeyer, Benjamin Altman, Robert Lehman, Charles and Jayne Wrightsman, Walter Annenberg, and, most recently, Leonard Lauder—join hundreds of others who were, and are, profoundly generous in supporting the development of our collection.»

The Le Brun portrait of Everhard Jabach and his family was a gift of Trustee Emerita Jayne Wrightsman, whose contributions over the past forty years have transformed the Met's presentation of European paintings. Mrs. Wrightsman is not only deeply connected to the Museum and its dreams for the collection, but steps forward at every critical moment to see those ambitions realized. Her impact is immeasurable.

The common misperception is that we have thousands of paintings in storage, and that this Le Brun masterpiece joins other equally important works, many of which we just don't show. That illusion could not be farther from the truth. If this ongoing blog series has proven anything, it is that works of this caliber and magnitude are exceedingly rare and incredibly exciting. The acquisition of this particular painting was the singular result of a brilliant curator, a gifted conservator, and a visionary patron—an inspiring triumvirate if there ever was one.

Great works of art hold history, beauty, and the poetry of time; they carry them effortlessly and place them before us, refreshed by every encounter with a viewer. In some ways, the Met now completes this painting's story: a picture commissioned by one man, and now owned by anyone who stands before it in our galleries. Come visit and make it your own.

Related Links
MetCollects: Everhard Jabach (1618–1695) and His Family
Now at the Met: Posts about the Jabach portrait