Coronavirus Results in Unexpected Gift to Dutch Museum

A museum facing financial difficulties because of COVID-19 restrictions¹ has received a surprise gift meant to honor² people who died of the disease³.

The gift is a 16th century artwork by the Dutch painter Bartholomeus Spranger. It is called "Body of Christ⁴ Supported by Angels."

The painting is now part of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum in The Netherlands.

Taco Dibbits, general director at the museum, had long sought to buy the painting to add to its collection. But he missed out on getting the work earlier this year and thought he might not get another chance.

Dibbits felt like he was in the perfect position to buy the oil-on-copper painting in early March at an art sale in the southern Netherlands. "We were standing⁵ there with our curators around the painting and saying how wonderful it was," he told The Associated Press.

What the group did not know, however, was that the picture had been sold soon after it arrived at the art sale.

So Dibbits returned to Amsterdam. There, he dealt with the museum's financial losses resulting from the coronavirus health crisis⁶. With visitors no longer permitted, Dibbits said the museum was losing about 1 million euros a week. The money represents a big part of the museum's operating budget.

Dibbits said he was caught by surprise when he got a telephone call from Bob Haboldt, an international dealer⁷ and art collector. He owned the painting, and earlier said he had sold it.

Haboldt, a Dutch citizen, explained that the coronavirus crisis had resulted in the sale being canceled. The collector, who lives in France and Italy and has offices in Amsterdam, Paris, and New York, was unable to travel, just like everyone else.

"In isolation⁸, I took the step that I would not think about its financial value," he told the AP in a phone interview from Italy. "Only its emotional⁹ value."

Haboldt did not want to say how much the painting could sell for. "It is a big gift, no matter how you look at it," he said. He added that he decided¹⁰ to donate the painting "in memory of the victims of COVID-19, not only those who died but also those who suffered."

The collector said he also hoped his act might lead others to support the arts as well. Haboldt, who is a native of Amsterdam, said he wanted the painting "to go before a very big audience," and the Rijksmuseum seemed like the perfect choice.

The painting itself could be seen to represent both the current times we are experiencing and the future the world is looking to. In it, a dead Jesus Christ is lifted from the ground by three angels and taken skyward.

"The picture represents a big message," Haboldt said. "I hope people will stop in front of it for a moment and realize that although they look at a religious painting, they are looking at something timeless, full of compassion¹¹, mercy and hope."

Museums around the world have been struggling during the COVID-19 health crisis. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimates¹² that one out of eight museums might not survive.

Dibbits said he welcomes Haboldt's act of kindness in the current unsettling environment. "That a dealer decides to donate a work when he doesn't know where his future is going, I think that's something very special," he said.

I'm Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

museum – n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (such as paintings and sculptures or scientific or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public

curator – n. a person who helps run a museum

isolation – n. the state of being separate from other people, places or things

audience – n. people who sit and watch performances like plays, movies, etc.

angel – n. a spiritual being that serves especially as a messenger¹³ from God or as a guardian¹⁴ of human beings

compassion– n. a feeling of sympathy for people who are suffering

mercy – n. forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。

3 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

4 Christ   

n.基督，救世主，耶稣

参考例句：

• I regarded him as the Christ.我把他当作救世主。
• Christ preached that we should love each other.基督在布道中说人们应该互爱。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

7 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

8 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

9 emotional   

adj.令人动情的；易动感情的；感情(上)的

参考例句：

• Emotional people don't stop to calculate.感情容易冲动的人做事往往不加考虑。
• This is an emotional scene in the play.这是剧中动人的一幕。

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

12 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 messenger   

n.报信者，先驱

参考例句：

• By the time the messenger reached him,the damage had been done.送信人赶到他那儿时，损失已经造成了。
• I'll order a special messenger to deliver the document.我会派专人把文件送去。

14 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。