Gebruder Douwes

Gebruder Douwes is a Dutch art dealership and gallery located in the Netherlands. Recognized as the oldest family-owned art business in the world, the firm has been passed down through successive generations. It operates today as Douwes Fine Art, maintaining a continuous tradition of art dealing and restoration that spans more than two centuries.

The firm traces its origins to a restoration workshop established in 1770 in Amsterdam, where the Douwes forebears painted and restored the ceilings of imposing canal houses in the fashionable city. The business was officially registered as a gallery in 1805, prompted by the registration requirements instituted during Napoleon's reign. Hendrik Douwes, born in 1784, was the forebear who formalized the gallery's registration. Ownership has since passed from father to son across multiple generations, with the current owners representing the eighth and ninth generations of the family. Notable historical owners include Evert J. M. Douwes Sr. and Henri S. A. Douwes.

During its first four generations, the gallery's core expertise centered on Old Master paintings, focusing primarily on Dutch and Flemish works dating from the 15th through the 19th century. In the context of the gallery's early history, 19th century works were considered modern and contemporary art. The firm's scope has expanded since the 1950s, though the sources do not specify the later areas of specialization.

Gebruder Douwes operates in the Netherlands under the name Douwes Fine Art. The business maintains an online presence through its official website, douwesfineart.com, and continues its longstanding role as an art dealing and restoration firm under the direction of the Douwes family.