Photos: Norton Museum Of Art Reception Celebrates Opening Of 'Art And Life In Rembrandt's Time'

Nearly 200 supporters of the Norton Museum of Art attended the VIP opening reception for Art and Life in Rembrandt’s Time: Masterpieces from The Leiden Collection, an exhibition featuring 76 works by leading 17th-century Dutch painters, including Rembrandt, Jan Steen, and Frans Hals. Check out photos from the reception.

The show highlights 17 Rembrandt paintings and the only Johannes Vermeer painting that remains in private hands. Ghislain d’Humieres, the Norton’s Kenneth C. Griffin Director and CEO, welcomed guests alongside Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan, founder of The Leiden Collection, who spoke about assembling the collection and sharing it with public institutions.

The evening marked several firsts: the Norton’s first opening night of the season, the first U.S. presentation of this private collection, and the first major event for Kelly Williams in her new role as Board Chair.

The reception took place in the museum’s Ruth and Carl Shapiro Great Hall, where guests were served wine, cocktails, and hors d’oeuvres before viewing the exhibition. Music was provided by Claudio Jaffé, principal cellist of Palm Beach Symphony. A smaller group later attended a private dinner on the Colonnade overlooking the Pamela and Robert B. Goergen Garden.

Art and Life in Rembrandt’s Time was jointly organized by The Leiden Collection and the Norton Museum of Art and remains on view through March 29, 2026. The exhibition was curated by Elizabeth Nogrady, Robert Evren, and J. Rachel Gustafson.

Support for the exhibition was provided by Alina de Almeida and John Paulson; the George and Valerie Delacorte Endowment Fund; Judy and Leonard Lauder; Lynne Wheat and Thomas Peterffy; Kenneth C. Griffin and Griffin Catalyst; the Irina & Marcel van Poecke Foundation; Tad Smith and Caroline Fitzgibbons; and numerous additional donors. Public funding came from Palm Beach County and the State of Florida’s Division of Arts and Culture.

Photo Credit: Capehart Photography