The Rijksmuseum

     Posted by Griffin. This week we went to the Rijksmuseum. The Rijksmuseum is the state museum of the Netherlands similar to the National Gallery. It is housed in a giant 17th century Dutch castle. The collection is organized chronologically, ranging from the Medieval Ages up to the 21st century.

     The first section of the collection was northern Medieval and Renaissance art. Much of this art appeared very similar to the Italian art that was in the Uffizi. This art is remarkably peaceful. The landscapes radiate harmony, the portraits  exude regalia, and the biblical scenes display piety in the upmost. The Northern Renaissance art is much more pious than the Italian, definitely no nude Venus here, or any gods for that matter. 

A ceramic parrot

     The next section was the collection of 18th century art. The 18th century was dominated by the Rococo, which began in France with Louis XIV and then spread throughout continental Europe. The ornamentation of the Rococo is impeccable. I personally find great delight in the frivolity of the Rococo. The shell curves and pastels combine for a dazzling effect. This section not only featured Rococo painting but also a lovely menagerie of porcelain animals collected by the Stadholder. Overall the collection of 18th century art is amazing and proves much more fun than any other time period.

The Night Watch by Rembrandt

     Unfortunately the 19th century works were closed so we went directly to the 17th century floor. This floor has the best collection of Dutch Golden Age art in the world. The collection contains masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Frans Hals to name a few. The Dutch masters have a very distinctive style, that lifts the best parts of High Renaissance and combines it with uniquely Dutch style elements. I enjoyed the masterpieces of Rembrandt and Vermeer, like The Night Watch, but one of my favorite paintings from this section was The Threatened Swan by Jan Asselijn (below). This painting is just so filled with life. The swan is in mid squak and Asselijn perfectly captures the bird. All of the art that I love is about life, and this painting, more than anything else, captures the ecstatic energy of life.

The Threatened Swan by Jan Asselijn

      The final section in the museum was the 20th and 21st centuries. This collection was wonderfully varied. It had everything from Art Deco vases to a collection of Yves Saint L. Personally one of my favorite pieces was Wombtomb, a giant coffin\vagina. This piece is both humorous, I mean it's a giant plushie vagina, and morbid. This piece is about the futility of life, how we are all destined to die, to return to the void from which we came. I also greatly enjoyed the collection of clothes by Yves Saint Laurent. While not as evocative as the art in the museum this collection was a fun walk through, and a great capstone for the end of a momentous museum.

Wombtomb by Ferdi

Yves Saint Laurent

The Riksmuseum is definitely one of the superior museums of Europe. The collection spans such a great period of time but the museum itself feels very manageable. The building itself is beautiful, very spacious. The exhibits are excellently curated, and it all really makes for a magnificent visit.