The Amsterdam dealer Hans Le Thoor at the court of Emperor Rudolf II.

This article focuses on Hans Le Thoor, a versatile Dutch art dealer active in the early seventeenth century, whose career included significant dealings with Emperor Rudolf II’s court in Prague and a later unsuccessful attempt to sell Dutch and Rudolfine paintings to King Christian IV of Denmark. Archival research reveals that Le Thoor supplied exotic objects and Chinese paintings to Rudolf II’s Kunstkammer around 1609, was ennobled by the emperor for his services, and later acquired Rudolfine paintings in Brussels for sale to the Danish king, a venture that ultimately led to his financial ruin. The study highlights Le Thoor’s role within international dealer networks and the circulation of art and luxury goods between Central Europe and the Netherlands, shedding light on the partial dispersal of Rudolf II’s collections and the complexities of early modern art trade. Despite his failures, Le Thoor’s activities illustrate the interconnectedness of European art markets and the challenges faced by dealers navigating royal patronage and inheritance sales in this period.