Amsterdam - Dutch National Museum Rijksmuseum

The visitor can see Chinese porcelain and objets d'art from India, Southeast Asia and the Far East. Japanese prints are to be found in the print room.

The Dutch History department of the Rijksmuseum displays paintings, model ships, flags, costumes, documents, curios and other items illustrating the political and military history of the Netherlands (altogether about 3,000 exhibits). The exhibition is not a chronological account but highlights interrelated topics (which are in chronological order) of fundamental importance in the country's history. The period covered ranges from the late Middle Ages to the present.

The painting department houses an outstanding collection of Dutch 15th to 19th C. masters (especially those of the 17th C., the heyday of Dutch painting). Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen, Pieter de Hooch, Peter Paul Rubens and, of course, Rembrandt are represented here by their greatest works. Non-Dutch painters are grouped according to country; this collection includes such masters as Fra Angelico, Goya and Murillo. Only the most important of the great number of masterpieces can be mentioned here. The most outstanding picture is Rembrandt's "Night Watch", restored after it was slashed in 1975, which is one of the master's largest and most famous compositions (1642); also by Rembrandt are the "Anatomy Lesson of Dr Deijman", the "Staalmeesters", the "Jewish Bride" and the portrait (1634) of the wife of Haesje Cleyburg. Frans Hals is represented by several lively portraits, including the "Merry Drinker" and the picture of the Civic Guard completed by Pieter Codde. Jan Steen is shown not only as a humorist, with several accomplished paintings, but as a religious painter with his "Christ at Emmaus" and "Adoration of the Shepherds". Gerhard ter Borch and Gabriel Metsu are also represented, as is Pieter de Hooch with his most outstanding works. Among the museum's most precious treasures are the works of Jan Vermeer van Delft, including his "Straatje". The "Mill at Wijk bij Duurstede" by Jacob Ruisdael is the most outstanding landscape. The 17th C. Flemish painters are represented by Rubens (sketch for the "Crucifixion") and several portraits by Anthony van Dyck. Among the Italian painters are Crivelli, Bellini and Mantegna, Veronese, Tintoretto and Bassano; and the Spanish painters include Velázquez ("Still Life"), Murillo ("Annunciation", "Madonna and Child"), Cano and Cerezo. The southwest annex contains the collection of later Dutch paintings which, in conjunction with the Stedelijk Museum, covers the whole range of Dutch 19th C. painting.

The print room of the Rijksmuseum specializes in Dutch 16th and 17th C. and French 18th C. drawings and prints. In the library the visitor can be shown all the prints from the national collection, such as Rembrandt's etchings.

The wide-ranging exhibition of liturgical robes, furniture, tapestries, jewelry, pottery, costumes, dolls' houses, Delft pottery, lace, snuff boxes, etc. presents a picture of life in various periods from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century.

Some of the most outstanding examples of early Dutch lace are to be found in this museum. An unusual collection of 17th century linen ruffs is also on display. Tapestries and early church vestments have been integrated into the displays of decorative arts.