Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum (IPA: {{IPA|rīks-}}; Dutch for State Museum) is the national museum of the Netherlands, located in Amsterdam on the Museumplein. The Rijksmuseum is dedicated to arts, crafts and history. It has a large collection of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age and a substantial collection of Asian art.

Related Topics:
IPA - Dutch - Museum - Netherlands - Amsterdam - Museumplein - Dutch Golden Age - Asian

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The museum was founded in 1800 in The Hague to exhibit the collections of the Dutch stadtholders. It was inspired by the French example. By then it was known as the National Art Gallery (Dutch: Nationale Kunst-Gallerij). In 1808 the museum moved to Amsterdam on the orders of king Louis Napoleon, brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. The paintings owned by that city, such as The Night Watch (Dutch: De nachtwacht) by Rembrandt van Rijn, became part of the collection.

Related Topics:
1800 - The Hague - Stadtholder - French - 1808 - Louis Napoleon - Napoleon Bonaparte - The Night Watch - Rembrandt van Rijn

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In 1885 the museum moved to its current location, built by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers. He combined gothic and renaissance elements. The museum has a prominent position on the Museumplein, near the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum. The building is richly decorated with references to the Dutch art history. Rembrandts The Night Watch has it's own hall in the museum since 1906. Since 2003 the museum in restoration, but the masterpieces are continuously present for the viewing public.

Related Topics:
1885 - Pierre Cuypers - Gothic - Renaissance - Museumplein - Van Gogh Museum - Stedelijk Museum - 1906 - 2003

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The paintings collection includes works by artists Jacob van Ruysdael, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt van Rijn and Rembrandts pupils.

Related Topics:
Jacob van Ruysdael - Frans Hals - Johannes Vermeer - Rembrandt van Rijn

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