Night Watch

Rembrandt (1606-1669) was a well known Dutch painter during the Golden Age. The name given to his most famous painting is "Officers and Guardsmen of the Amsterdam Civic Guard Company of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq". It is definitely a mouthful and I think that is why it is commonly referred to as simply "Night Watch". This group portrait was painted by Rembrandt in 1642 at the peak of the Dutch Golden Age. Rembrandt was to portray over 30 men who paid to be in the painting. The 30 men were not given equal attention in the painting. So not every one was pleased.

But we were very pleased to be able to take photo of the painting without the crowd

Perhaps those who were portrayed in front have paid more?

Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history. It was founded in The Hague in 1798 and moved to Amsterdam in 1808. 

Neo-Gothic building

Militia Company of District II by Rembrandt

Officers and Other Members of the Militia of District VIII in Amsterdam

by Van der Helst

 

Officers and other Civic Guardsmen

by Van der Helst

Rembrandt self portrait as Apostle Paul

The Syndics of the Dapers' Guild by Rembrandt

Maerten Soolsman and Oopjen Coppit by Rembrandt

Jointly purchased by Rijksmuseum and Lourve for  €160 million from the Rothchild family

The museums will take turn to display the paintings

Rembrandt self portrait in military uniform

Bought by the museum from the Rothchild family for €150 million after Louvre failed to raise the fund

The Little Street in Delft by Johannes Vermeer

The Love Letter by Johannes Vermeer

The Kitchen Maid by Johannes Vermeer

The Feast of St Nicholas by Jan Steen

The Merry Family by Jan Steen

Girl Dressed in Blue by Johannes Cornelisz

Still Life with Gilt Goblet by Willem Claesz Heda

Still Life with Cheese by Floris Claesz van Dijck

Still Life with Turkey Pie by Pieter Claesz

A Flemish Kermis with a perfomance of the Farce by Peeter Baltens

This painting depicts a Flemish village feast. It has many scenes telling the stories of the villagers and their activities.

A man hidden in a pedlar's basket catches his wife cheating on him with a clergyman

Men eating and drinking in a tavern

A very excited man

A man pooing

A religious procession

Breakfast at the hotel

Our plan for today: 1. Rijksmuseum 2. Van Gogh Museum 3. Canal cruise 4. Eurostar to London

We took the metro to Rijksmuseum

The Seafood Bar

We came back to Amsterdam for our dinner.

Coca Cola in a bottle

Mixed grill

Shrimp, squid, plaice, salmon, sea bass and king prawn 

Kibbeling (Dutch's version of fish and chips)

Spaghetti Vongole

Cod fillet with pumpkin and beurre blanc

Delft

Delft is famous for its ceramic Delft Blue pottery. We came to see the church but it was closed. We walked from the station to Nieuwe Kerk, Oude Kerk, the Windmill and back to the station.

Markt

Nieuwe Kerk 

The church tower is the second highest in Holland after the Domtoren in Utrecht

Blue Heart Sculpture

Oude Kerk

De Roos Windmill