Josephus Augustinus Brentano
Dutch art collector
Intro | Dutch art collector | |
Places | Netherlands | |
was | Art collector | |
Work field | Arts | |
Gender |
| |
Birth | 28 August 1753, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands | |
Death | 16 April 1821Amsterdam, Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands (aged 67 years) |
Josephus Augustinus Brentano (1753 – 1821) was a Dutch art collector.
Brentano was born in Amsterdam and became a merchant in trade with the VOC and the WIC. He was not unsuccessful and retired early in a canal mansion on the Herengracht (today nr. 544). He formed a large art cabinet there that competed with the one formed by Jan Gildemeester further down the canal. Like Gildemeester, he hired Adriaan de Lelie to portray him among his prize paintings. He started the collection to encourage artists in their field, according to Roeland van Eynden and Adriaan van der Willigen.
Brentano died a bachelor in Amsterdam and his collection was sold to found a home for poor elderly men.