Six days before the official start of Autumn, the Bermuda National Gallery (BNG) is marking the change of seasons with the opening this evening of not one but two new exhibitions, each of which is billed as a special celebration.

One celebrates the gift of a large body of art, now known officially as the ?John Hinson Young II and Nelga Young Collection?, and the other, ?Rembrandt Etchings: Impressions of a Genius?, marks the 400th anniversary of the Dutch master?s birth. comprising 105 paintings, sculptures and drawings in total, is being hailed as ?one of the most important cultural gifts ever made to Bermuda? by delighted Gallery officials.

In this, the first exhibition of highlights from the collection, the 37 selected pieces will cover a broad spectrum, and reflect their original owners? vision of creating ?a museum without walls? at their former Lantana Cottage Colony in Somerset.

Included are works by Italian sculptor Enzo Plazotta, French artists Jean Dufy, Elisse Maclet and Michael Henry; Latin American artists Francisco Zuniga, Jesus Leuus and Victor Hugh Castaneda; and Bermudian artists Charles Lloyd Tucker, John Kauffmann, Desmond Fountain and Stephen J. Card.

Since it was the wish of Mr. and Mrs. Young that major sculptures in their collection should also be displayed publicly ?to be shared and enjoyed by future generations of Bermudians and visitors?, several of them are, or will be, permanently installed to enhance the City of Hamilton.

?Jet?, Plazotta?s iconic study of international ballet dancer David Wall, is to be positioned in front of City Hall, where George Lundeen?s ?The Storybooks? already graces the portico. Similarly, American sculptor Berthold Schiwetz?s bronze, ?Praying Mantis Fountain?, has been installed in Par-la-Ville Park.

Director of the BNG Laura Gorham said that the Young Collection represented a milestone in the development of the museum.

?Not only is it significant from an artistic perspective, but also the deed of gift has shown remarkable foresight in providing for its ongoing care and development. With the generous endowment included in the gift by Mr. and Mrs. Young, the Gallery will be able to support the care of the collection, including significant conservation work.?

Because adding to their collection was an ongoing process, and the late hotelier and his wife often bought speculatively, sometimes ending up with multiple works by the same artist, the family has given permission for the BNG to sell certain pieces in order to purchase works by other artists to upgrade the overall Collection.

?The Young?s records, which have come to the BNG with the Collection, give us a clear idea of artists they were interested in purchasing and, at times, include specific paintings on which they had bit at auction,? BNG curator David Mitchell said.

Noting that the Young Collection had tripled the size of the BNG?s Modern collection, the curator said: ?The reluctance of many local collectors to import their more significant pieces because of the eight percent import duty has made it difficult for us to collect in this area.

?The Young gift, which is particularly strong in Mexican sculpture and early 20th century French painting, has rounded out our collection by also adding artists from Italy, China, Spain, Canada, and the United States.?

Speaking on behalf of the Young family, daughter Penne Leseur said her parents? donation to the BNG was particularly meaningful for herself, her brother John, and their respective families since the art, sculpture and drawings would remain intact ?in a first class institution, and serve as a kind reminder of the many years of enjoyment their collection gave to us, to our wonderfully dedicated, long-serving Lantana Colony Club family, and to hundreds of guests?.

?Art in many forms played a huge role in all our lives,? Mrs. Leseur continued. ?Our parents defined the stage: the art of indulging guests, the art of fine service, the art of beautiful surroundings.

?Paintings and sculptures were the vision that gave hospitality new meaning, and fulfilled our father?s long-time dream. The art of giving is an ultimate gift. My brother and I and our respective families are honoured and pleased that the Bermuda National Gallery, a first class institution, would accept our parents? collection, honouring their wish that it remain together in Bermuda so it can continue to be enjoyed by future generations.?

?The John Hinson Young II and Nelga Young Collection? is being sponsored by the Bank of Bermuda Foundation as part of its mission ?to promote, benefit and finance the visual arts in Bermuda through its collection of artworks from Bermuda and worldwide?.

?We believe it is important for our community, and in particular our youth, to be exposed to the arts, which play a vital role in the all-round development or productive citizens,? director David Lang said.

The second exhibition, celebrates the birth of one of the world?s greatest artists in Leiden, Holland in 1606. Housed in the Watlington Room, it features 12 prints from a private collection illustrating the Dutch master?s skill as a printmaker.

During his 40-year career, Rembrandt van Rijn created more than 300 prints, and pushed a relatively new medium to its expressive limits. According to the Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam, ?Etching was not a sideline where Rembrandt was concerned. His prints cannot be regarded as inferior by-products of his paintings, which nowadays are much more famous. Rembrandt took his graphic art very seriously for almost the whole of his working life.?

In addition to the two new Autumn exhibitions, the BNG?s revolving exhibition, ?The Bermuda Collection: 350 Years of Art in Bermuda?, continues in the Ondaatje Wing. This tells Bermuda?s history through the development of its fine and decorative arts, and includes works from across historical periods, representing a wide variety of techniques, subjects and mediums.

For gallery hours see the Bermuda Calendar.