The collection began when 174 work were purchased from European sellers in 1871. Almost two-thirds of these work have been deaccessioned, but high quality paintings by Jordaens, Van Dyck, Poussin, the Tiepolos, Guardi, and some other artists remain within the collection. Major gifts from Henry Gurdon Marquand in 1889, 1890 and 1891 gave the Met a a lot more solid foundation recommended site. Additionally, his example helped to create a taste for accumulating Old Master paintings. In 1913, the Benjamin Altman bequest had sufficient range and depth to place the Met’s assortment of paintings on the map. The Robert Lehman Collection, which got here to the museum in 1975, included many significant paintings, and is especially strong in early Renaissance material.
