×
×
xxxx
The Amsterdam Museum, located to the south of Dam Square, is home to many displays, artworks and other articles related to the history of the city. On arriving, we headed to the museum's central courtyard to get our bearings.
Connie and Bob and Map in Courtyard
Connie and Bob and Map in Courtyard
Bob and Connie in Courtyard
Bob and Connie in Courtyard

Many of the articles were related to the city's military history. The city was a military power for many years, a naval power especially. (FYI, a ship's camel was a Dutch invention that could be affixed to the sides of a large ship to increase its buoyancy and reduce its draft in shallow waters – a very useful thing on the Zuiderzee.)
Drinking Horn of the Longbowmen's Guild
Drinking Horn of the Longbowmen's Guild (1566)
Drinking Horn of the Crossbowmen's Guild
Drinking Horn of the Crossbowmen's Guild (1566)

Armor and Weaponry
Armor and Weaponry
Model of a Ship's Camel
Model of a Ship's Camel (ca. 1742)

Other articles came from the day-to-day lives of the city's citizens at different points in time. The wealthier citizens naturally had nicer articles:
Upper-Class Drawing Room
Upper-Class Drawing Room

Kettle on a Stand
Kettle on a Stand, Johannes Hendrik Schmidt (1853)
Longcase Clock with Mechanism
Longcase Clock with Mechanism, Jan Henkels (ca. 1770)

The wealthy could also commission portraits. Such as group portraits:
Jacob Fransz and his Family
Jacob Fransz and his Family, Egbert van Heemskerck (1669)
Governors of the Old Men's and Women's Home
Governors of the Old Men's and Women's Home, Cornelis van der Voort (1618)

Early Amsterdam artworks in general followed the same pattern as they did in the rest of Europe. In other words, at first they almost exclusively depicted religious subjects.
The Resurrection
The Resurrection, Anonymous (ca. 1500)

But following the Reformation, it didn't take long for the people of Amsterdam to ask for different subject matter from the painters. As noted above, portraits were popular. But as the city grew rich and civic improvements became commonplace, portraits of buildings were also requested.
Courtyard of the Leper House
Courtyard of the Leper House, Louis Chalon (1735)
Harquebusiers Civic Guard on the Amstel
Harquebusiers Civic Guard on the Amstel, Jan Ekels the Elder (1775)

Nieuwmarkt with Weigh House
Nieuwmarkt with Weigh House, Isaac Ouwater (ca. 1782)

The following paintings of Dam Square show some of its changes through the years. The Dam Square at one time had a weigh house of its own – the one in the Nieuwmarkt was created when the Dam Square weigh house could no longer handle all of the traffic. The Dam Square weigh house also pre-dated the Royal Palace, as seen in the first painting. It was not removed until 1808, thanks to Napoleon's brother Louis.
Weigh House with Palace Being Built
Weigh House with Palace Being Built, Jacob van der Ulft (ca. 1656)
Palace with Weigh House
Palace with Weigh House, Gerrit Berckheyde (1674)

Palace Without Weigh House
Palace Without Weigh House, Fredericus Theodorus Renard (19th C.)

But a subject that never seems to get old with the people of Amsterdam is the carryings-on of their fellow citizens.
Frost Fair on the IJ
Frost Fair on the IJ, Arent Arentsz (1621-23)
Botermarkt Fair by Night
Botermarkt Fair by Night, Hendrik Gerrit ten Cate (1834)

Zocher's Stock Exchange
Zocher's Stock Exchange, Martin Monnickendam (1903)
Hartjes Day
Hartjes Day, Johan Coenraad Braakensiek (1926)

The Children of the Sea
The Children of the Sea, Jozef Israëls (1863)

I'm not sure whether this came from the painters or their customers, but during the 17th Century, there seems to have been something of an appetite for the gruesome.
Pig on a Rack
Pig on a Rack, Michiel van Musscher (1668)
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Jan Deijman
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Jan Deijman, Rembrandt (1656)

Having exhausted the museum's displays (and ourselves), we found that it was time to return to the hotel, even though it was only late afternoon. You may wonder why this would be the case. The answer is a little complicated – continue to the next page for all the details.