Rijksmuseum

On Sunday Walter and I travelled to Amsterdam to visit the Rijsmuseum, which we have been meaning to do ever since the museum reopened after it was renovated and refubished.  The displays are now grouped according to different time periods, rather than grouping artifacts/paintings together.  

After a short train journey we arrived at Amsterdam Central, which also has been cleaned up somewhat.  Much improved.  And sunshine, but that was shortlived.

Lunch in a pancake shop.  Pancakes with apples and cream.  Not very healthy perhaps but delicious.

The Rijksmuseum, standing tall and elegant in the mist.  A very imposing building.

The entrance to the museum is spacious and light filled,  The architecture inside has been restored to its former glory.   But the most notable change was the lack of clutter of paintings.  No longer are there walls covered in paintings.  They must store the bulk of them now, and change the exhibits periodically.

Except of course, Rembrandt's 'The Night Watch', which always draws in the crowds.

This is the small copy of 'The Night Watch', painted by Rembrandt, after he painted the large one.  The original Black Watch was cut down in order to fit the wall in the town hall.  This small painting shows the detail that was cut off.

Posing in front of another Rembrandt painting.

'The Merry Family' by Jan Steen.   I love his paintings.  Always chaotic and lavish but there is often a moral behind each painting.  In this scene the moral points to the children growing up and leading irresponsible lives, due to too much merrymaking and drunkiness taking place in their young lives.

There is a Dutch saying that if you live in a messy house, you live in the house of Jan Steen.

Jan Steen, a self portrait.   He lived from 1626 to 1679, and came from a family of brewers.  His paintings, 800 of them, mostly depict daily life.

We had a thoroughly lovely visit to the Rijksmuseum, and time went by so quickly.  Before we knew it, the loudspeaker announced that the museum was closing, and we had to leave.   We are looking forward to another visit.