Canal-side house
A Quiet Canal
Street performer
The Concert Hall
The Van Gogh Museum
The Floating Chinese Restaurant
The Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum
Archive for the ‘Netherlands’ Category
Amsterdam Bridges
Posted: December 31, 2013 in Amsterdam, NetherlandsTags: Amsterdam, Amsterdam canals
In a city with so many canals, there are of course a great many bridges
Some other artifacts from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam that caught my eye
Cannons captured in Java 1800
Plate bearing the Arms of Amsterdam
Plate bearing the Arms of Gronigen
Japanese Container in the form of a crane
Japanese Temple Guardian
Japanese Temple Guardian
Art Nouveau in Rijksmuseum (2)
Posted: December 22, 2013 in Amsterdam, NetherlandsTags: Amsterdam, Art Nouveau, Rijksmuseum
Some more items from the Rijksmuseum collection
Art Nouveau in Rijksmuseum
Posted: December 19, 2013 in Amsterdam, NetherlandsTags: Amsterdam, Art Nouveau, Rijksmuseum
During our recent trip to Amsterdam we went to the Rijksmuseum to see the collection of Art Nouveau.
I love the designs and the colours. I guess it may have something to do do with my love of natural history and the nature themes of many art nouveau pieces
Rijksmuseum
Posted: December 17, 2013 in Amsterdam, History, Netherlands, Post medieval historyTags: Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum
During our recent visit to Amsterdam we visited the Rijksmuseum. This is the national museum housing both a historical and art collection.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Photo by frankfp47 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/frankfp47/)
The most famous painting in the museum is the Nightwatch by Rembrandt
Photo by tutincommon (http://www.flickr.com/photos/10647023@N04/)
But I chose the painting below as my favourite. It is a picture of the battle of Waterloo by Jan Willem Pienemann and shows the moment when the Duke of Wellington (the British Commander) hears that the Prussian army has arrived at Waterloo. This was the turning point of the battle which till then had been very even. Napoleon’s plan has relied on being able to keep the Prussians from making it to the battle before he had beaten the British and their allies but although it was a close run thing the French army failed to do this and the battle was lost.
Vincent Van Gogh (4)
Posted: December 13, 2013 in Amsterdam, History, NetherlandsTags: Amsterdam, Van Gogh
Some final pictures of paintings by one of my favourite artists
Vincent Van Gogh (3)
Posted: December 10, 2013 in Amsterdam, History, NetherlandsTags: Amsterdam, Van Gogh
Some landscapes by Van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh (2)
Posted: December 8, 2013 in Amsterdam, History, NetherlandsTags: Amsterdam, Van Gogh
Although I had visited the museum before, I had not known about Van Gogh’s liking for Japanese art and that he had produced a number of pictures in the Japanese-style.
Vincent van Gogh (1)
Posted: December 7, 2013 in Amsterdam, History, NetherlandsTags: Amsterdam, Van Gogh
During our recent visit to Amsterdam, we went to the Van Gogh Museum.
Self-portrait
Vincent van Gogh was born on 30 March 1853. After school he went to work for an art dealers, but in pursuing his desire to become a pastor, he left in 1879 and went to work as a missionary in a poor mining region in Belgium. The scenes that he saw here are captured in some of his paintings.
The Potato eaters
Photo by BlikStjinder (http://www.flickr.com/photos/blikstjinder/)
In 1885 he moved first to Paris and then to the South of France and concentrated on his painting. He continued to struggle throughout his life with mental and physical health issues. In Paris, he developed a friendship with the artist Paul Gauguin and the two painters lived together for while in Arles, but in December 1888 Van Gogh in a bout of depression threatened Gauguin with a Razor and was admitted to the local psychiatric hospital. Gauguin left Arles and the two never met again. Van Gogh went first to a hospital in San-Remy and then to Auvers-sur-Oise. It was at Anvers that he committed suicide on 27 July 1890.
Bedroom in Arles
Even when his illness prevented him going out he found subjects to paint
Van Gogh was 47 years old when he died. His works are famous for their use of colour and their bold style.
Self-portrait
