Visitors to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem can now enjoy yet another new exhibition - over 100 works on paper from the collection of Hungarian prince and art patron Nikolaus II Esterházy (1765–1833), on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest until 1 July 2011. The first in a series of exhibitions showcasing private art collections in public institutions, The Prince and the Paper: Masterworks from the Esterházy Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, displays a selection of works from what was once considered one of the finest private collections in Central Europe. The prints and drawings, dating from the 16th to the 18th century, include works by Italian, German, Dutch, and French masters such as Claude Lorrain, Albrecht Dürer, Hans Hoffmann, Nicolas Poussin, Rembrandt, and Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo.

The splendid collection of Prince Nikolaus II of Esterházy (1765–1833), third generation of a family of art patrons, was formed in his native Hungary. Rich in high-quality pieces, the collection comprises mostly prints, drawings, and books, but also sculptures and paintings. The collection reveals the aristocratic standing and taste of its founder, who sought the advice of experts and managed to acquire outstanding works by celebrated artists. It also reflects the prince's frequent visits to Paris, Vienna, Berlin, and London, as well as his special predilection for Italy and its masters. Following the prince's death the financial position of the Esterházy family deteriorated, and in 1870 they sold the collection of more than 50,000 prints and 3,000 drawings to the National Picture Gallery, direct predecessor of the Museum of Fine Arts.

The Israel Museum is the largest cultural institution in the State of Israel and is ranked among the leading art and archaeology museums in the world. Founded in 1965, the Museum houses encyclopedic collections ranging from prehistory through contemporary art and includes the most extensive holdings of Biblical and Holy Land archaeology in the world, among them the Dead Sea Scrolls. In just 45 years, the Museum has built a far-ranging collection of nearly 500,000 objects through an unparalleled legacy of gifts and support from its circle of patrons worldwide. In 2010, the Museum completed a comprehensive renewal of its campus led by James Carpenter Design Associates, New York, and Efrat-Kowalsky Architects, Tel Aviv, including the creation of new galleries, orientation facilities, and public spaces, and the complete reinstallation of its encyclopedic collections. The Museum also organizes and presents programming at its off-site locations in Jerusalem at the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum, where it presents archaeological artifacts from the Land of Israel, and at its historic Ticho House in downtown Jerusalem, a venue for exhibitions of contemporary Israeli art. 

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