Exquisite jewellery collection will shine again

The Tiffany & Co. Foundation approved a grant to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam for the creation of the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Gallery, dedicated to the exquisite jewellery collection of the museum, which plans to reopen in spring of 2013. Displayed in a 15 meter-length spectacular showcase, three hundred pieces of jewellery from the 8th century to the 1960s will emphasize the continuity in jewellery art.

After a nine-year renovation, the new Rijksmuseum will open its doors in the spring of 2013. In the new Rijksmuseum, paintings, images, historical objects and applied arts will be displayed together in context, offering a comprehensive study of Dutch art and culture. A wing specially designed for the purpose will house the Rijksmuseum’s Special Collections. Large sub-collections will be on display there, including the Jewellery Collection, expected to be one of the main attractions of the newly renovated building.

The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Gallery at the Rijksmuseum will be a treasure trove of the highest quality jewellery that appeals to a wide international audience. Conserving, researching, restoring, presenting and digitizing the jewellery collection of the Rijksmuseum, which includes more than 850 pieces in total, is now possible with the grant from The Tiffany & Co. Foundation. The creation of this jewellery gallery is the first major gift from The Tiffany & Co. Foundation to a museum in Europe.

Wim Pijbes, General Director of the Rijksmuseum: ‘The Rijksmuseum is very proud to welcome the Foundation of this world famous American house of jewellery. This important gift will let our beautiful jewellery collection shine again.’

Anisa Kamadoli Costa, President - The Tiffany & Co. Foundation ‘We are proud to support the creation of the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Gallery, dedicated to jewellery, at the Rijksmuseum in its much anticipated re-opening next year. The Foundation seeks to promote the importance of inspiring design and jewellery's role in the arts, through its display at world-class institutions, such as the Rijksmuseum.’

Rijksmuseum

When it opens in 2013, the completely renovated Rijksmuseum will offer visitors no less than 1½ kilometres of art and history, spread over 80 renovated exhibition rooms. More than 7,500 objects will tell the story of the Netherlands from the Middle Ages through to the present day in a magnificently restored building.

The Spanish architects Cruz en Ortiz created the new Rijksmuseum for the 21st-century public, from the international style of the entrance through to a brand-new Asian art pavilion, a state-of-the-art restoration studio and the largest art library in the Netherlands. The Parisian interior designer Jean-Michel Wilmotte (famous for his work at the Louvre) designed the interior of the new Rijksmuseum, which is a fusion of 19th-century grandeur and modern design.

The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Established in 2000, The Tiffany & Co. Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations working in two main program areas: the environment and the arts. The Foundation’s environmental conservation program promotes responsible mining, healthy marine ecosystems and the enhancement of urban environments. In addition, the Foundation fosters design excellence by supporting organizations dedicated to the field of design and the decorative arts. For more information on The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, please visit www.tiffanyandcofoundation.org.