One of the oddest things we saw in the Rijksmuseum was this display of woollen hats:-

A unique harpsichord he only surviving one of its type which plays one-fifth above normal pitch. Made by the Ruckers family from Flanders:-

The top floor of the museum is reserved for more modern exhibits. This biplane was designed during the Great War by Dutchman Frits Koolhoven for the British Aeronautical Transport Company:-

There was a chess set whose pieces looked like Great War crested china memorabilia but was designed by German Georg Fuhg “to glorify Nazi Germany’s urge to conquer.” It was shown in the Rijksmuseum in 1941 exhibition Kunst der Front organised by the occupier. The text in the border refers to countrie soccupied by Germany in 1939 and 1940:-

A cloth book for children which, as I recall, was made during the German occupation:-

Plaster model for the sculpture The Destroyed City by Ossip Zadkine, made to commemorate the bombing of Rotterdam in 1940. Zadkine said of it “I have sculpted tears.”:-

The Rijksmuseum has an impresive looking library, taking up several floors:-

Whether it’s because I was brought up in a shipbuilding town or not (though the main shipyard shut down when I was six years old) I’m a sucker for models of ships.

The Rijksmuseum certainly fulfilled any desire for them. The Dutch, of course, have a maritime history equal to that of Great Britain.

Model of Prins Willem:-

It’s majestic:-

Information board:-

One case was full of models:-

From side:-

Other view:-

Model Ship Hulls:-

Wall of Model Ships:-

One of the downstairs rooms in the Rijksmuseum held paintings that weren’t perhaps as famous as The Night Watch or Vermeer’s Milkmaid.

Two were by by Hendrick Avercamp, both reminiscent of the work of the Breughels.

Ice Entertainment Near a City :-

Winter Landscape with Skaters:-

Self portrait by Betsy Westendorp-Osieck:-

Self Portrait by Emile Bernard:-

van Gogh Self Portrait:-

Therese Schwartze Self Portrait:-

Portrait of Theresia Ansingh (Portret van Sorella) by Therese Schwartze. Also known as Woman Wearing a Hat. A better picture than mine is here:-

The Night School by Gerard Dou. An illustration of depiction of light. (Again better to see here):-

An unusual Mondrian. Painting of a Windmill:-

The centre piece of the Rijksmuseum’s Great Hall is Rembrandt’s masterpiece The Night Watch.

Imagine our disappointment when we entered the room in which it is displayed to see this:-

It was cordoned off and we therefore could not see it properly. Apparently minor air movements make the canvas flex, potentially damaging it, and they were measuring just how large the movements were so that they can prevent any future deterioration.

However there was a painting of a similar subject (well, lots of Dutch burghers) just to The Night Watch’s right as you look at it, which I had to take two photos of to get it all and then stitch:-

Vermeer’s milkmaid was also in the Great Hall but the lighting conditions weren’t good and my photo came out blurry.

Also nearby was this still life. Still Life with Cheese by Floris Claesz Van Dijck:-

One of the reasons for our trip to Amsterdam was to visit the Rijksmuseum. Entry isn’t cheap (now it’s €22.50) especially if you’re used to free British Museums but it’s a very good museum indeed.

Building:-

The Great Hall is on the first floor (second floor if you’re USian.)

It has a nicely painted ceiling:-

with illustrations on the areas above the side halls:-

and stained glass windows to the front:-