Favorites from the Rijskmuseum

The Jewish Bride, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1665-1669

There are many interpretations as to the subject of this large oil painting which measures 121.5 cm by 166.5 cm. Art historians believe it represents the biblical characters of Isaac and Rebecca. It is a painting that certainly captures a tender and intimate moment between husband and wife.

Detail of the Jewish Bride

Notice the facial expression of the bride. It speaks volumes and has intrigued me from the first time I saw her.

The Architecture Window, William Francis Dixon

Four women represent phases of of architectural styles: Classic, Early Christian, Gothic, and Renaissance. These windows are in the hall leading to the Gallery of Honor.

The Little Street, Johannes Vermeer, 1657-1658

There are 36 paintings attributed to Johannes Vermeer. Of these, two are townscapes and The Little Street is one of them. Recent studies by Professor Frans Grijzenhout from the University of Amsterdam has identified the location of this street on Vlamingstraat in Delft. The original house no longer exists but the gate is still in place. Further, the house on the right belonged to Vermeer's aunt, Arianentgen Claes van der Minne. She was a tripe vendor. Hence the name of the gate between the two houses, Penspoort or Tripe Gate.

Mondrian dress, Yves Saint Laurent, 1965

This striking dress is made of wool with silk lining, one of six created by French couturier, Yves Saint Laurent. The inspiration for this dress are the abstract geometric works of Dutch artist, Piet Mondrian who is one of the founders of the De Stijl movement. Mondrian's paintings are composed of lines and rectangles and his palette is limited to black, gray and white and three primary colors - blue, red and yellow.

The Rijksmuseum Research Library

The Library has over 250,000 titles including catalogs, periodicals, annual reports and books which it has collected since 1885. It is the largest art history library in the Netherlands focusing on art of Western Europe from the Middle Ages to early 20th century. Its objective is "partly to provide documentary information to support the mission of the Rijksmuseum, and partly to consolidate and expand the position of an academic art historical library of national importance". It is open to the public for free but books or periodicals may not be checked out of the premises.

For more information about the museum, check their website www.rijksmuseum.nl.

*****

Images by TravelswithCharie (November 2016)

Brașov was once called Stalin City

White Tower Brașov is a city nestled in the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania. Remnants of its medieval fortifications and bastions are added attractions to this buzzing city. The White Tower along with the Black Tower are two of the remaining watchtowers still visible today. During the Communist period, Brașov was called Orasul Stalin or Stalin City after the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin. Black Church This is such a storied Gothic church which was originally the Catholic Church of St. Mary before it was converted to a Lutheran Church. It was believed to have been affected by fire in 1689 which blackened its exterior walls and roof. But a new 21st century study reveals that this wasn’t the case at all. The only reason for its blackened state according to the study is environmental pollution caused by the industrialization of Brasov in the 19th century. The walls have since been cleaned but there are traces of black spots on the roof. Republicii Street This long pede...

The Gold of Ancestors: Pre-Colonial Philippine Treasures

Openwork basket, Surigao, 10th-13th century What a wonderful surprise this exhibition is! These gold objects, about a thousand of them, add a rich layer to Philippine history. This collection which was found in various sites in the Philippines, date back to the 10th-13th centuries. It demonstrates the well developed culture of pre colonial Philippines which the Spaniard, Antonio Pigafetta, recorded in 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan landed in the islands. A thriving interchange between the Philippines and its Asian neighbors existed prior to the arrival of Magellan as attested by some of these gold accouterments which show for example, images from Hindu mythology. The motifs and curvilinear ornamentation of the openwork basket (shown above) intimate Chinese designs found in their ceramics and textiles. Torso ornament, 10th-13th century Weighing four kilos of gold, this sash is worn across the chest similar to the upavita (sacred thread) style in Hindu culture. This sash w...

The Art of Carlos Botong Francisco - Progress of Medicine in the Philippines

Pre-colonial period Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines) is a group of four large-scale paintings depicting healing practices in the Philippines from pre-colonial times to the modern period. Carlos Botong Francisco was commissioned in 1953 by Dr. Agerico Sison who was then the director of Philippine General Hospital (PGH) together with Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing of the National Museum, Dr. Florentino Herrera, Jr. and Dr. Constantino Manahan. These oil on canvas paintings measure 2.92 meters in height and 2.76 meters in width (9.71 ft x 8.92 ft) and were displayed at the main entrance hall of PGH for over five decades. Owing to its location, the artworks were in a state of "severe deterioration" at the beginning of the 21st century from exposure to heat, humidity, dirt, dust, smoke, insect stains, grime, termites and an oxidized synthetic resin used in an earlier restoration. These canvases were restored three times, the last was...

TravelswithCharie

Search This Blog