Beauty of Art and pictures for you

MUSEUMS (7)

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

Netherlands

The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (Amsterdam State Museum), is a Dutch national museum, located in the capital of the kingdom, and devoted to fine arts, craftsmanship and history of the country. It is the largest museum in the Netherlands in terms of attendance and works of art with more than 2 450 000 visitors in 2014 for a fund of about one million pieces. 10,000 m² of exhibition space.

Rijksmuseum

On November 19, 1798, at the initiative of Alexander Gogel, then Minister of Finance, the decision was made to place Italian works of art, portraits of the Orange family and national heritage rarities in a museum. national, following the example of France. The museum, under the original name of National Kunst-Galerij (National Art Museum), opened in 1800 in the Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, a building that had been confiscated as well.

Part of the Rijksmuseum

In 1806 Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother Louis Bonaparte ascended the throne as King of Holland, and the institution was renamed the Koninklijk Museum (« Royal Museum »). In 1808, Louis Bonaparte moved the museum to Amsterdam where, from 1809, it was housed at the same time as the artistic collection of the city (including La Ronde de nuit) on the upper floor of the Paleis op de Dam.

A great gallery room at the museum,

a person could spend weeks here and not see it all.

The Night Watch or The Shooting Company of Frans Banning Cocq is the common name of one of the most famous works by Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn.

Captain Frans Banning Cocq (dressed in black, with a red sash and his lieutenant, Willem van Ruytenburch (dressed in yellow, with a white sash)

It is prominently displayed in the Rijksmuseum, as the best known painting in its collection. The Night Watch is one of the most famous paintings in the world.

Cannon of the Admiralty of Amsterdam – 1615.

Company of Captain Dirck Jacobsz Rosecrans and Lieutenant Pauw Cornelis Ketel in the background.

William I (and his Dog) Prince of Orange,

Laying in State, by Hendrik de Keyser I – 1613-1614 – terracotta with beige coating. William was assassinated in 1584.

Children teaching a cat to dance, know as « The Dancing Lesson », by Jan Havicksz Steen – 1660-1679.

The Merry Family, by Jan Havicksz – 1668.

This boisterous family is making lots of noise: the father sings at the top of his lungs, the mother and grandmother join in. The children are part of the annoyances.

The gallery that contains many of the great painting

Topers, by Jan Pieter van Baurscheit, terracotta – 1700.

This depiction of two topers is a symbol of gluttony. The sculpture impresses upon the public the notion that indulging in excessive drink undermines the work ethic and leads to laziness.

Crown for the King of Ardra, 1664.

Looks impressive but crafted from inexpensive materials. It was ment to be a gift from England to the King of Ardra to foster trade relations. It never reached the king as it was seized by Admiral Michiel de Ruyter while on a mission to expel the English from the Dutch fortresses in Africa.

Heraldic tunic from the House of Orange-Nassau attributed to John Smout, 1647.
This « heraldic tunic » was made for his state funeral in Delft on 10 May 1647. It was carried in the procession to demonstrate the deceased’s status and rank. Four such tunics were worn by heralds, and a fifth, symbolizing the dead prince, was borne aloft on a pole.

Author of all photos: Dennis Jarvis (Thanks Dennis) . Source: flickr.com