Europe Fall 2024 - Rijksmuseum

If one is doing a nostalgia visit to Amsterdam, you have to include a visit to its most famous art museum, the Rijksmuseum. Since getting more into art at a late age, I've had a particular love for the Dutch Masters of the Renaissance. And the Rijksmuseum certainly has one of the better collections in the world of these. 

#3 met us at the hotel. We had a totally unsatisfactory breakfast at the School of Life coffee shop. (I guess the life lesson here is if you want a decent breakfast, go elsewhere). Then it was just a short walk to the museum.

 Painting of Disciples Contemplating the Loss of Christ with Christ Trying to Get Their Attention in the Background

Former Art History Student Contemplating Historic Art

 

Incredibly famous painting by Rembrandt 

 #3 Said they looked like a BoD of Tech Investors Poo Pooing your Hot Idea

Having had more than one dealing with the Corporate Overlords in my career, I had to agree

Hence my deciding this painting should be called

Angry Founder Turned Down for Financing Again

Long time followers of the blog know my penchant for delving into the detail of artworks. 

I was looking at this still life

 

 And I was marveling at how the painter had put a reflection of the table on to silver pitcher!

 This got me inspired to do some quick still lives while we had a snack at the museum cafe.

Still life of Bread, Butter and Coke Zero

 Still Life of Pea Hummos (just mashed peas really) and Feta Cheese

 Of course no de-I / Wife trip is complete without a sampling of the wonders of architectural scaffolding!

Here is one of the most famous of Rembrandt pictures, the Night Watchmen, beautifully counterbalanced by a rare example of architectural scaffolding. 

 

But that is not all. The Rijksmuseum had a whole section devoted to flights of fancy that architectural scaffolding producers have created over the year.

 And I had to take a picture of this artist's ode to the American Spirit of Freedom and Free Choice

We ended our day by visiting our friend C and his partner J at their new apartment. It was a lovely place. Having seen the many apartments #3 has had over the years, I could very much appreciate what a great place it was. We had a lovely French picnic lunch with wine and talked up a storm. I remember when C was first putting out his vision for his future, when nothing like this seemed remotely possible. I am very, very happy for him.

We went back to the hotel and had a final talk session with #3. Then she needed to go and we needed to get packed as we head off for Italy in the morning.