Read novels set in the Netherlands both to help get you in the mood for traveling and to enjoy when you’re there.
Each of the novels listed in this post relates in some way to the arts–from Rembrandt to Vermeer to the depiction of tulips in Golden Age Holland. Reading any one of these novels will help set the scene for your travels in one of my favorite European countries!
The Anatomy Lesson takes readers through a single day in Golden Age Amsterdam when the city is preparing for the Winter Festival: executions, followed by a public dissection, and then a feast and torch parade through the city.
History and fiction merge seamlessly in a novel about artistic vision and sensual awakening set in 1664 in Delft. Young Griet goes to work in the household of the great painter Johannes Vermeer and is immortalized in canvas and paint.
This historical biographical novel tells the story of Judith Leyster, a Dutch painter from the 17th century whose work was lost to history until 1893. The novel richly weaves the journey of a woman of ambition set against the backdrop of Rembrandt and an uncompromising religion.
Inspired by real events in the artist’s life, The Rembrandt Secret is an historical thriller that follows a deadly serial killer who is wreaking havoc across London and New York.
Book 4 in Jennifer S. Alderson’s Zelda Richardson Mystery series revolves around the discovery of a missing portrait by Johannes Vermeer that results in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with unethical art collectors, unscrupulous dealers, and an all-too-real killer.
Seventeenth-century Amsterdam is a city in the grip of tulip fever. To celebrate growing wealthy from this exotic new flower, a merchant commissions a gifted young artist to paint him with his beautiful bride. But as the portrait grows, so does the passion between his wife and the painter; and ambitions, desires, and dreams breed an intricate deception and a reckless gamble.
When ancient notebooks surface in a Long Island garage, Peter Van Overloop, a Columbia grad student, sets about translating them, and finds himself immersed in the life and times of the Dutch painter Frans Hals. The notebooks appear to be Hal’s diaries, and they paint a gripping portrait of a man living in the age of Rembrandt and Descartes, and bursting with a lust for the world surrounding him.
Textiles historian Jo Baaker returns to the Dutch island where she was born, to investigate the provenance of a valuable 17th-century silk dress retrieved from a sunken shipwreck. Her research leads her to Anna Tesseltje, a poor Amsterdam laundress who served on the fringes of the Dutch court. But how did Anna come to possess such a precious dress?
In 1660, Amsterdam is the trading and map-printing capital of the world. Anneke van Brug is one of the colorists paid to enhance black-and-white maps for a growing number of collectors. But Anneke is not content to simply embellish the work of others; she longs to create maps of her own.
In this 17th-century historical romance, gifted artist Clara Peeters has to make sacrifices and risk everything to pursue her craft. Together with fellow pupil Nico, the two find themselves surrounded by dangerous secrets and powerful enemies. But in the face of so much past pain, can something as fragile as love survive?
Want more novels set in the Netherlands? You’ll find many more on Art In Fiction, the website I created to showcase novels inspired by the arts.
Guidebooks About the Netherlands
My favorite travel writer, Rick Steves, of course has produced an excellent guidebook on the Netherlands. Rick’s suggestions are pretty much always on the mark. I also enjoy Lonely Planet books for their comprehensive accommodation guides, particularly for budget places.
Tours Around the Netherlands
While reading one of my featured novels, you may want to explore more of the Netherlands on a bus tour. On this tour that starts and ends in Amsterdam, you’ll see traditional 17th-century houses and windmills in the Dutch countryside and visit Zaanse Schans, Volendam, Edam, and Marken.
Have you read a novel set in the Netherlands, particularly an arts-inspired one? Do you have a favorite guidebook? Share your recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
Check out these posts that provide suggestions for what to read in other European countries:
I love Amsterdam, which is why on almost every trip to Europe I make it my first stop. Since 1970 on my epic first trip to Europe with my mom, I’ve visited Amsterdam fifteen times. You’d think I’d have run out of places to see by now, but I haven’t. On my most recent visit to AmsterdamX, I discovered two new-to-me museums that I highly recommend.
First is the National Maritime Museum (#1 on the map below) and second is the Rembrandt House Museum (Rembrandt Huis – #2). Both deliver an excellent bang for your euro. The map below also shows the location of my recommended hotel (#3) and for context, Amsterdam’s two heavyweight museums: the Rijksmuseum (#4) and the Van Gogh Museum (#5).
Despite all my visits to the city, I’d never heard about Amsterdam’s excellent Maritime Museum. On my latest trip, the taxi drove us right past the massive replica of an 18th century Dutch three-master sailing ship (the Amsterdam) moored in the harbor. I asked him what it was and he told us it was part of the National Maritime Museum. Intrigued, I looked it up when we got to the hotel, which turned out to be only a six-minute walk away.
Arriving at the National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum is housed in a stately three-storey building on the edge of Amsterdam’s massive harbor and adjacent to the Amsterdam ship moored in the harbor. After entering at the south side of the building, we walked into a spacious covered atrium with entrances leading to the north, west and east.
Outside the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam
Touring The Amsterdam
We headed first for the north door that led straight out to a wharf and the docked replica of the Amsterdam. What a sight! The huge hull rose several storeys above our heads, above which soared three masts.
A replica of the East Indiaman Amsterdam at the National Maritime Museum
We boarded the ship and were immediately engulfed by a posse of schoolchildren all wearing yellow safety vests and swarming through the sailors’ quarters. Apart from the kids, the quarters looked spacious until I realized the space would house a crew of 191 sweaty sailors. The smells and swells on a rough day at sea would not have been pretty.
Sailors quarters in the Amsterdam tall ship at the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam
Information about the Amsterdam
Throughout the ship, descriptions in both English and Dutch provided fascinating glimpses into the history of the original Amsterdam and Dutch trade back in the 17th and 18th centuries. I learned that on one voyage, the Amsterdam carried one captain, 191 sailors, 128 marines, 11 artisans, and 3 women passengers for a total of 334 people. That’s a lot of bodies to squeeze onto a ship that, while large, wasn’t that large. I found it a bit crowded with a school group of maybe 30 kids!
Eating on the Amsterdam
In the galley at the front of the ship, the cook would prepare meals for everyone on board, who would then take turns eating in groups of seven. The captain and passengers got the best and freshest food, leaving the crew to half starve and fall prey to diseases such as typhus, dysentery, and scurvy. It must have been pretty grim, particularly since long voyages to destinations in the East Indies took many, many months.
Women Dressed as Men
I was particularly taken by a description of women dressed as men who sailed on the Dutch ships. Some were forced by circumstances to earn money; some were likely trying to escape an unhappy marriage; some maybe just wanted adventure. Unfortunately, any woman who was trying to pass herself off as a man on a ship was severely punished.
In 1770, a woman called Margereta Reymers dressed as a man and joined the crew of the East Indiaman Schoonzicht under the name Hans Hendrik Reymers on a ship sailing to Asia. Margereta was discovered two months into the voyage and put ashore at Cape Town where a man who had promised to marry her left her pregnant.
Eventually, Margereta managed to find a place on a ship returning to the Netherlands. Her daughter was born at sea. No one knows what happened to Margereta and her daughter afterwards. Hmmm – therein lies an interesting idea for a novel!
The Maritime Museum Exhibits
The museum itself is quite vast and beautifully curated. If you are into ships, navigation, and sailing, you could spend many happy hours there. I particularly enjoyed the displays of figureheads and model ships.
For more information about the National Maritime Museum, check out their informative website: https://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.com/
After touring the National Maritime Museum, we enjoyed lunch in a typical Dutch pub, then headed to the Rembrandt House Museum, which was about a ten minute walk from our hotel.
The Rembrandt House Museum
Unlike the National Maritime Museum, I had heard about the Rembrandt House Museum, but had never managed to visit it. I thought it would be a rather dusty old place with little to recommend it beyond the fact that Rembrandt once lived there.
I discovered that I was wrong and that the Rembrandt House Museum is well worth an hour of any artsy traveler’s time.
Renovated Museum
The museum has been recently renovated to include an adjacent building containing the entrance area, a gift shop (of course), and two floors of exhibition space.
We entered the airy modern foyer, purchased our tickets and picked up our audio guides. We don’t usually go for audio guides, but the man at the desk told us they were essential to our enjoyment of the museum and so we dutifully donned the earphones and headed for door leading into the house that Rembrandt called home for 19 years.
Touring Rembrandt House
For the next hour or so, we drifted from room to room and up several sets of winding staircases to explore the nooks and crannies of what was—and still is—a large and comfortable home. Rembrandt was flying high when he and his wife purchased the house. He was receiving many commissions in addition to earning a sizable chunk of his income from teaching wannabe Rembrandts.
But regrettably, Rembrandt was not the best of businessmen. After nineteen years of enjoying the good life, Rembrandt’s many creditors forced him to sell just about everything not nailed down and move across town.
Rembrandt’s Misfortunes are History’s Gains
I learned that it was thanks to Rembrandt’s financial misfortunes that his house has been so immaculately recreated. When Rembrandt was forced to liquidate all his assets, he left behind an extremely detailed inventory of the house contents. Historians were able to use this inventory to faithfully recreate the rooms in his house so that today we can wander through them secure in the knowledge that they looked more or less the same as they did in Rembrandt’s day—except with electric light and tourists listening to audio guides.
The comprehensive audio guide provided us with a wealth of information about each of the rooms we entered—from grand salon to the room of curiosities to Rembrandt’s gorgeously bright and airy painting studio. In each room, audio commentary described the room and its uses, and provided information about Rembrandt’s life and work.
Rembrandt House Highlights
Box Beds
One of several box beds in the house was situated in the main salon, and like every box bed in the house (there were several) was much shorter than would seem reasonable to accommodate an average-sized human. I learned that back in Rembrandt’s time, people slept sitting up and so had no need of a bed that extended their full height. Apparently, the prevailing medical wisdom of the day dictated that sleeping completely prone was very bad for the health. Peering into the box beds, I shuddered at the thought of actually sleeping in one. If you are at all prone to claustrophobia, you wouldn’t last ten minutes.
The box bed shown below was in the main salon and would be for visitors.
Box bed for visitors
Etching Studio
Rembrandt was known for his etchings, many of which he made in the etching studio. Nowadays, a rubber-gloved attendant demonstrates the art of etching. Unfortunately, we missed her demonstration but it was likely very similar to the one we saw at the house of Albrecht Dürer in Nuremberg. In fact, the setup of the Rembrandt House Museum reminded me of the Dürer museum. You can read about our visit there in my page about Artsy Sightseeing in Germany.
Painting Studio
Stepping into Rembrandt’s large painting studio feels quite magical. Although now filled with visitors all listening intently to their audio guides, it’s salutary to remember that you are actually treading the same floor boards and looking out the same windows as Rembrandt did four hundred years previously.
The room faces north, an aspect favored by painters because the light varies the least throughout the day. The studio is at the top of the house and so would have been as bright and airy as any room in a 17th- century house could be.
The studio includes a large video screen that shows a demonstration of how Rembrandt and his assistants made pigments. I’m familiar with the process of grinding and mixing the pigments from my research for The Towers of Tuscany. But whereas my characters in 14th-century Italy mixed their pigments with egg yolks, Rembrandt and his contemporaries mixed pigments with linseed oil.
Small Painting Studio
I was quite taken with the second painting studio which was partitioned into four sections to accommodate four students.The whole setup looked so modern. Apparently, Rembrandt made 30% of his annual income from students, but even that income wasn’t enough to keep him afloat. I wonder what became of the students after Rembrandt had to liquidate!
But check out these studios. Many artists would feel quite at home in one today!
The Room of Curiosities
Like many people of his time, particularly artists, Rembrandt was an avid collector. His many collections fill the room of curiosities–from parrot feathers and stuffed caimans and armadillos, to tortoise shells, butterflies, rocks, and a hundred other exotic bits and pieces he accumulated over the years. Amsterdam, of course, was a port, and so Rembrandt was able to acquire objects from around the globe that had been brought to Amsterdam by the sailors.
Exhibition Center
After touring Rembrandt’s house, we funneled back into the exhibition center. There wasn’t much on when we were there, but I did appreciate the projection of a montage of Rembrandt’s greatest hits.
Visiting Rembrandt’s House
For more information and to purchase tickets, check out the Rembrandt House website: https://www.rembrandthuis.nl/en/
You can also purchase your tickets in advance from Get Your Guide. As I’ve mentioned many times on Artsy Traveler, I’m a big fan of Get Your Guide. Click the image below to go to their website.
On my stopover in Amsterdam in 2024, I stayed only two nights, but still managed to log several kilometers of wandering. Amsterdam is a fantastic city for walking, so long as you keep a very sharp eye out for cyclists. They go very, very fast! I wonder how many tourists who stepped off a curb without looking ended up in Emergency.
In the evening of our only full day in Amsterdam, we met Gregg’s artist friend Rik Lina in his home and went out for a wonderful Caribbean dinner. Here Rik is with Gregg in front of one of his paintings. He and Gregg have been collaborating for years. Notice the collection of masks. Like Rembrandt, Rik is an avid collector.
Dutch artist Rik Lina in front of one of his paintings with Canadian artist Gregg Simpson
Amsterdam at Night
After dinner, we strolled through Amsterdam in the moonlight, crossing many canals and passing an endless number of intriguing storefronts. Amsterdam has an admirably eclectic variety of stores carrying everything from Old Master knock-offs to rubber duckies to high fashion to painted cows. I adore window shopping in Amsterdam.
Painted cows in a shop in Amsterdam
Amsterdam at night truly is magical! The side streets are quiet, the canals serene in the moonlight, the bike traffic considerably calmed. You can wander for hours, imagining yourself into a cityscape that hasn’t changed appreciably for four hundred odd years.
Other Tours in Amsterdam
There’s so much to see in Amsterdam for the artsy traveler! I highly recommend booking one of the Get Your Guide tours, if only to skip the line at the most popular museums. I’ve consistently found Get Your Guide tours to be good value, and have taken them in Rome, Venice, Paris, Madrid, and Sirmione. Here are links to Get Your Guide tours in Amsterdam.
I also often purchase tickets and tours through Tiqets.com. Here are some options for Amsterdam.
And finally, check out a walking tour with GuruWalks. They offer these tours in Amsterdam:
Staying in Amsterdam
Over the years, I’ve stayed in many different places in Amsterdam–from Airbnbs to hotels on the outskirts. Our stay in 2024 was one of the best–and also the most reasonably priced considering the location and amenities.
I’m not usually a big fan of chain hotels, but to my surprise the Holiday Inn Express – City Hall in Amsterdam, steps from the harbor and within walking distance of old Amsterdam, was a perfect choice. The view of the canal from our window was endlessly fascinating depending on the time of day and the shifting April weather, the room was comfortable, and the staff friendly and helpful.
View of canals from the window of a room at the Holiday Inn Express – City Hall in Amsterdam
I also appreciated the large urn full of citrus fruits and water in the lobby. Every time I came into the hotel, I helped myself to a refreshing glass of citrus water.
Here are other options for staying in Amsterdam. I recommend you resist the temptation to opt for the cheaper places outside the city center. Amsterdam is worth the splurge. Book a place as close to the ring of canals as you can and enjoy many happy hours of wandering–particularly after dark.
Conclusion
Have you visited Amsterdam? What are some of your best picks? Share your experiences in the comments below.
I first visited the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam in 1970 and remember it as a gloomy, rather dingy place. The famous Night Watch by Rembrandt was so dark as to be virtually invisible, and I don’t recall seeing any of the amazing objets d’art, from porcelain violins to full-size doll houses, that I saw on recent visits.
Refurbished and renovated, the new Rijksmuseum is a total delight. It’s even more amazing than the Van Gogh Museum, although I suppose it’s not fair to compare! But the main thing to keep in mind is that you’ll need considerably more time to tour the Rijksmuseum than you will for the Van Gogh Museum.
In this post, I share my favorite pieces at the Rijksmuseum, a must-visit for Amsterdam-bound artsy travelers. Make sure you reserve well in advance (more on that later).
Overview of the Rijksmuseum
The most important thing to remember about the Rijksmuseum is its marvelous scope. Yes, there are many, many paintings, including a respectable number of Dutch and Flemish Old Masters, but there are also many, many rooms full of other “stuff”, from model ships to wood sculptures to doll houses. You could spend days exploring.
Location of the Rijksmuseum
The map below shows the location of the Rijksmuseum (#1) in Amsterdam’s Museumplein, easily reached from the Centrum via trams 2 or 12. Also shown is the location of the Van Gogh Museum (#2) next door, and the location of the charming apartment we stayed in on tiny Sint Nicholastraat in the lively Centrum area (#3). Called Here’s Lucy, it’s highly recommended if you’re looking for a private one-bedroom apartment and a much better deal than any hotel I’ve ever stayed at in Amsterdam. The location, not far from the Central Station and the Damrak, is pretty much perfect.
The first room I enter features art from the Middle Ages—and wow! I have a soft spot for art from this period that spans from 1100 to about 1500, and the Rijksmuseum has a superb and varied collection. Here are a few of the knockout pieces.
Wood Sculptures
The figures in this wood sculpture were created in 1475 from a hunk of oak and formed part of a large altar. It depicts the adoration of the newborn child by the Virgin, Joseph and the angels. Check out the detail and the expressions on the faces.
This amusing sculpture from around 1380 of a monk who can barely see over the edge of the pulpit is actually a medieval ink pot. The scribe dipped his pen or quill in the sleeves of the monk’s habit.
And look at this gem of a sculpture that dates from 1520 – closer to Renaissance than medieval. It’s one of three related pieces. This one depicts the celebration of Mass with Christ. Check out the bread Christ holds in his hands and also the impassive look on the servant girl’s face.
One of the reasons I like medieval art so much is because it depicts the elaborate gowns worn by both men and women, but particularly women. This wooden sculpture is one of 24 similar-sized sculptures that ringed the tomb of Isabella of Bourbon, the wife of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. She died in 1465. The figures represented mourning family members and ancestors and were known as “weepers”.
Renaissance Paintings
While most of the paintings in the medieval and Renaissance rooms at the Rijksmuseum were created in the low countries, this depiction of Mary Magdalene comes from Italy and is an example of the International Gothic style. I’m quite taken by the elaborate coiffure and the beautiful way in which the red gown is rendered.
This landscape depicts an episode in the conquest of America and was painted in 1535 not long after the conquest. The painting is the first to depict Spanish soldiers subduing the people who lived in the “new world.” Jan Jansz Mostaert, the painter, created a traditional European landscape and then added a few exotic elements—a monkey, a porcupine, and some parrots— to show that the landscape was not in fact European.
Dutch Ships at the Rijksmuseum
Several rooms are devoted to displaying models of Dutch ships. They are remarkable! This model of a Dutch warship in the late 17th century was made at the same dockyards where real warships were built. It’s about one/twelfth life-size. The real ship would have had 74 guns. I am particularly taken by the elaborate decoration and the sheer size of the stern area where presumably the captain would have his quarters. I doubt conditions were quite so luxurious for the regular sailors.
Here’s another view of the many ship models in the Rijksmuseum.
Masterworks at the Rijksmuseum
Most visitors to the Rijksmuseum make a beeline for the “Hall of Honour” which includes several paintings by Rembrandt and Vermeer–probably the two most famous Dutch artists.
The Night Watch by Rembrandt
The Night Watch is displayed in a temperature-controlled structure so we can’t get very close. It’s an impressive piece, for sure, and certainly much better to look at now than it was when I first saw it at the age of 14 when it was almost black. Here’s Gregg checking it out.
And here’s a close-up sans viewers. Thanks to glare, it’s almost impossible to get a decent shot, but you get the idea. There’s so much life and movement in the painting. Everyone is doing something. I like the drummer to the right and the little girl to the left of the guy with the red sash.
The Jewish Bride by Rembrandt
In this beautiful portrayal of a newly married couple, Rembrandt used thick, impasto paint and worked it with a palette knife to create a glittering and sculptural relief. There is a bittersweet quality to this painting. The man looks to be quite a bit older than his bride. While richly dressed, she looks very uncertain about what the future might hold for her.
The Milkmaid by Vermeer
The small, intimate paintings by Vermeer are a big draw at the Rijksmuseum with several groups clustered around them listening to tour guides or audio guides. I managed to sneak through and get this picture of The Milkmaid, which I’ve always had a soft spot for, perhaps because the subject is so humble and yet so exquisitely rendered. She is totally intent upon her task, unaware she will be looked at by millions for centuries to come. This painting also shows how Vermeer was a master of light. You really “get” how great Vermeer was when you compare his paintings to those of most of his contemporaries. While most are competently painted, they don’t glow like Vermeer’s paintings do. He didn’t complete many paintings in his life, but each one was a masterpiece.
The Threatened Swan by Jan Asselijn
This painting by Jan Asselijn is an oil on canvas from 1650. It’s reproduced on bags, mugs, tea towels and other products in the gift shop so obviously it strikes a chord with people. It depicts a swan fiercely defending its nest against a dog. In later centuries, the scuffle was interpreted as a political allegory, with the white swan symbolizing the Dutch statesman Johann de Witt who was assassinated in 1672 while protecting the country from its enemies. This meaning was attached to the painting when it became the first work to be accepted into the collection of the Nationale Kunstgalerij, the forerunner of the Rijksmuseum, in 1800. I’m guessing that the Dutch liked the image of their nation as a swan furiously defending itself.
Still Lifes at the Rijksmuseum
I’ve developed a real fondness for still life paintings—of flowers, kitchen scenes, fruit, and the like. I’m not sure why, but there’s something kind of comforting about super-realistic paintings of everyday things–and the Dutch are masters of the genre.
The Well-Stocked Kitchen by Joachim Beuckelaer
This piece by Joachim Beuckelaer painted in Antwerp in 1566 depicts Christ’s visit to Mary and Martha, although that’s hard to figure out because the action takes place in the background while in the foreground is a profusion of richly painted vegetables, fruit, meat, poultry, and pots and pans. The contrast between the foreground and the background conceals the message of the painting: do not give in to earthly temptations.
Still Life of Flowers in a Glass Vase by Rachel Ruysch
I’m thrilled to discover that this stiff life was painted by a female artist I’d not heard of. Her name is Rachel Ruysch and I have discovered that she was big news in her time. In fact, she was the most famous female artist of the period. Patrons loved her monumental, sumptuous flower still lifes like this one and paid big guilders to own one. Even after marrying and having ten children, Rachel Ruysch continued to not only paint, but also to sign her paintings with her own name. Now she’s an artist I want to know more about.
Later in the gift shop, I buy a stunningly illustrated book about still lifes from the Dutch Golden Age that includes quite a few of Ruysch’s paintings. Unfortunately, the text is in Dutch, but I buy it anyway so I can enjoy looking at the paintings and drawings, most of which are by women artists. It appears that still lifes—and flower paintings in particular—were popular subjects for female painters of the period.
Still Life with Gilt Cup by Willem Claesz Heda
This painting includes an astounding array of grey tonalities. Heda’s palette is subtle—pewter, silver, damask, glass, mother-of-pearl, with a few yellow and ochre accents thrown in for good measure. He specialized in near monochromatic still lifes that were known as “tonal banquet pieces.”
Still Life with Cheese by Floris Claesz van Dijck
Van Dijck really brings the subjects in his painting to life. Check out the ridges in the slabs of cheese and how the pewter plate extending over the edge of the table seems to come right out of the painting. Floris van Dijck was considered one of the pioneers of Dutch still-life painting.
Flower Still Life with a Crown Imperios Fritillary in a Stone Niche by Jacob Woutersz Vosmaer
This impressively named painting is an exceptionally large example of a still life. There’s a tactile quality to the flowers that makes them look like they are moving. And then there’s the wee mouse and the cracks in the wall—real life intruding on the luscious beauty of the flower arrangement.
Porcelain at the Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum includes a lot of porcelain and china. I don’t have the energy to tour all the rooms, but my eye is caught by this tin-glazed earthenware violin. It cannot be played and was made purely as a decorative object. The violin is considered to be an absolute masterpiece of Delft earthenware—and no wonder.
Doll Houses at the Rijksmuseum
One of the rooms in the Rijksmuseum is devoted to showcasing two extraordinary dollhouses. They’re both HUGE! And the detail in the rooms is truly astonishing. Here are just a few of the interiors.
Practical Information About the Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum can sell out so buy your tickets online at least a week before you plan to travel to Amsterdam (possibly more during the busy summer months). Most visitors appear to get the audio guide which probably enhances the viewing experience. We did not get it, preferring to discuss the pieces as we look at them. Click one of the options below to purchase your ticket.
Rijksmuseum Tours with Tiqets.com
Here are some options for tours of the Rijksmuseum offered through Tiqets.com
Conclusion
The Rijksmuseum is well worth several hours of your time on even the shortest visit to Amsterdam. I would venture to say that it’s even better than the neighboring Van Gogh Museum simply because it’s a lot bigger and has a lot more to look at. But at the same time, the Rijksmuseum is not overwhelming. In my opinion, it’s a perfectly sized major museum to keep me entertained for a good two or three hours, with a wee break at some point to sample a coffee and a piece of cake in the airy cafeteria and of course to check out the gift shop.
Have you visited the Rijksmuseum? What are some of your favorites? Share in the comments below.
I remember the first time I saw the Van Gogh Museum, almost 50 years ago. Compared to the gingerbread façade of its neighbor, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum is sleek and modern, and when I first saw it in 1974, it was fringed with massively tall sunflowers. I burst out laughing. How appropriate!
On my latest trip to Amsterdam in September 2023, I didn’t see the sunflowers, but the sleek, modern building remains and still houses the world’s most extensive and lovingly presented collection of work by the Netherlands’s fave artist–Vincent van Gogh. During his lifetime, he didn’t get much love from his home country, but that oversight has been more than made up for in recent decades.
Vincent van Gogh, who barely sold a painting during his life, is big business now.
In this post, I share my favorite pieces at the Van Gogh Museum, a must-visit for Amsterdam-bound artsy travelers, although make sure you reserve well in advance (more on that later).
The map below shows the location of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam’s Museumplein, easily reached from the Centrum via trams 2 or 12. Also shown is the location of the Rijksmuseum next door, and the location of the charming apartment we stayed in on tiny Sint Nicholastraat in the lively Centrum area. Called Here’s Lucy, it’s highly recommended if you’re looking for a private one-bedroom apartment and a much better deal than any hotel I’ve ever stayed at in Amsterdam. It’s situated not far from the Central Station and the Damrak is pretty much perfect.
Message at the entrance to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam
Overview of the Van Gogh Museum
As the name suggests, the Van Gogh Museum is dedicated to exhibiting and celebrating the work of Vincent van Gogh, one of the world’s most beloved artists. It opened in 1973, three years after my first visit to Amsterdam and a year before my second visit to Amsterdam at the age of 18. I remember being so excited to tour the museum in 1974 when I was already a firm van Gogh fan.
The museum is the most visited museum in the Netherlands, and one of the top most-visited museums in the world. And no wonder! The collection is organized across four floors and includes pieces from several of van Gogh’s contemporaries, including Monet, Gauguin, Pissarro and others. The intention is to show van Gogh’s work in context and according to various themes, including self-portraits, early work, landscapes, and portraits.
Van Gogh provided hundreds of paintings and drawings over the course of just one decade, from 1880 to 1890. The collection at the Van Gogh Museum shows van Gogh as an artist intent on improving himself and his art while also being deeply engaged with the artistic developments of his day.
View of the Museum
A central atrium extends from the ground floor to the fourth floor and is dominated by a staircase and projections of details from van Gogh’s paintings that change regularly. The exhibition spaces run around three sides of the building.
Self-Portraits of Van Gogh
The first room we entered featured a good collection of van Gogh’s self-portraits. I include two of my favorites. I like the contrast in how he handled the brushstrokes in these two works, and the intensity of his stare.
Self-Portrait, 1887
Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat
Van Gogh didn’t start painting seriously until he was 27 when he set to work to learn the rudiments of painting, mostly by studying the art of other artists. He was a great admirer of French 19th-century painters such as Jean-Francois Millet and Jules Breton who portrayed peasant life in the countryside.
Early Work
Most of van Gogh’s early work that he completed before he went to Paris and then finally to Provence use a very limited, even dreary palette. They have almost an Old Master feel to them.
Still Life with Open Bible
I particularly enjoyed a painting of his recently deceased father’s bible set next to van Gogh’s copy of La joie de vivre by Emile Zola–a ‘bible’ of modern life. The intention of the painting is to juxtapose the religious and traditional mores of his father with van Gogh’s more modern sensibilities. I was intrigued with how he rendered the open pages of the bible with rough brush strokes.
The Potato Eaters
One of van Gogh’s most famous works from his early period is The Potato Eaters. The darkness of the painting and the almost grotesque roughness of the figures exemplifies the harshness, even despair, of peasant life. Van Gogh wrote that a true peasant painting should smell of bacon, smoke, and steaming potatoes.
The Potato Eaters
Van Gogh in Paris
The gallery devoted to works that van Gogh created while living in Paris also include several works by his contemporaries, including Monet and Degas.
Nude Bathing by Degas
This nude by Degas is executed in numerous shades of pastel crayon and is one of several nudes that Degas exhibited in Paris and which van Gogh saw and greatly admired.
View Seen Through a Balcony by Gustave Caillebotte
Another work by one of van Gogh’s contemporaries is the painting of a Paris street seen through a wrought iron balcony by Gustave Caillebotte. I’ve seen several of Caillebotte’s paintings at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and like his work.
Café Table with Absinthe
And here’s a painting that van Gogh did while living in Paris. It depicts a glass of absinthe in a café. Already his palette is starting to lighten up with more pastel colors and looser brushstrokes.
Still Lifes – Red Cabbage and Garlic
I don’t associate van Gogh with still life paintings except, of course, for his flower paintings. This painting of red cabbages and onions is a revelation. I love the blue, red, and gold palette and the vibrancy of his brushstrokes. This still life is anything but still. Van Gogh was apparently intent on studying color contrasts in the painting–the complementary colors of yellow and blue reinforcing each other. He was well aware of color theory and how different color combinations work together to produce different effects and even emotions.
Portraits
Several of van Gogh’s most famous paintings are portraits of people he met and interacted with–regular people such as a bar maid, a postman, and his landlord. The Van Gogh Museum includes a few of his portraits, although not any of the super famous ones.
Woman in the Bar
This painting of a solitary woman in a Paris café is a great example of how van Gogh used regular people he encountered every day as his models. The look on her face is so relatable–staring into the middle distance, lost in her own thoughts. Is she annoyed? Pensive? Or just bored?
Van Gogh in the South of France
Van Gogh left bustling Paris for the south of France in late winter, arriving just as the trees were beginning to blossom.
The White Orchard
Here is one of three paintings he did not long after arriving in Arles. I’m entranced by the movement of the trees and the joyous freedom of the brushstrokes. It’s as if van Gogh’s been released from prison and poised on the edge of a whole new adventure, which indeed he was.
The Harvest
I felt very verklempt when I saw this painting, the very first van Gogh I ever saw and the first painting that launched me into a lifetime of loving art. I saw it at Expo 67 in Montreal when I was 11. A pretty uneventful childhood spent in Vancouver had not prepared me for modern art. I was blown away, first by The Harvest by van Gogh and then in the same exhibition at Expo 67 Lavender Mist by Jackson Pollock. It’s kinda no wonder I’ve ended up spending my life with a painter!
The Harvest makes me feel happy every time I see it. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s the bands of color and texture or maybe the balancing of the complementary colors of gold and blue. It just feels totally right. I look at it and I feel glad to be in the world.
The Bedroom
How many times have I seen this iconic piece in reproductions and on mugs and mousepads, puzzles and pens? And yet seeing it in “real life” is still a thrill. There’s something so endearing about a man who paints his humble little bedroom and manages to infuse it with such warmth and loneliness. And again, it’s his use of complementary yellows and blues that makes the painting so satisfying to look at.
Sunflowers
And another iconic favorite! Composed of just three shades of yellow, this Sunflowers (he painted several versions) glows like lemons in the sun. The sunflowers are in various stages of dying and yet the painting is beguilingly cheerful.
The Yellow House
And here’s yet another study in blues and yellows! Gosh, he’s good. Van Gogh manages to capture heat shimmering against the walls of the houses in Arles. He was hoping to turn his yellow house into an artist colony but only Gauguin came, and only stayed two months. Poor Vincent led a rather solitary existence.
Japanese Influence
Van Gogh was a huge fan of Japanese art, as were many of his contemporaries, and several pieces were directly influenced by it.
Almond Blossoms
He painted this gorgeous, Japanese-print-inspired piece depicting almond blossoms against a blue sky to celebrate the birth of his nephew and namesake, Vincent–the son of his beloved brother, Theo. It’s almost abstract in its focus only on the blossoms and the sky with no other landscape elements. Van Gogh himself recognized the piece as one of his best–and he wasn’t wrong!
The Sower
And finally, here is The Sower, one of van Gogh’s smallest and yet most well-known paintings. It has so much movement and energy. I can sense the man purposefully planting his seeds, completely trusting that they will come up in the spring. In this painting, the sky is green instead of blue which casts an eerie glow over the scene, giving it an almost foreboding look, although the sower seems oblivious to anything beyond the sowing of his seeds.
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Practical Information
The Van Gogh Museum sells out many days in advance. Get your tickets online at least two weeks before you plan to travel to Amsterdam (possibly more during the busy summer months). Most visitors appear to get the audioguide which probably enhances the viewing experience. We did not, preferring to discuss the pieces as we looked at them. Every so often, you can discreetly eavesdrop on a guided tour. All of the ones I came across the morning we toured the museum were in English. Click one of the options below to purchase your ticket.
Conclusion
The Van Gogh Museum is well worth several hours of your time on even the shortest visit to Amsterdam. The only downside is that the world holds millions of van Gogh lovers and even with daily limits on visitors, a good chunk of them will be at the museum at the same time you are. It does get tiring dodging the crowds, particularly if you enjoy taking photos of the pieces like I do and also read all the captions. Most people are listening to audio guides and sometimes stand immobile for long periods in front of each painting. When several of them are congregated in front of a parituclarlty popular piece such as The Sunflowers, you’ll have to wait awhile to get your viewing turn.
But hey, it’s worth it. These are original paintings by Vincent Van Gogh! Artsy traveling doesn’t get much better. And when you’re done, you can tour no fewer than three gift shops (there may have been more) loaded to the gunnels with van Gogh schlock. On this trip I resisted, but I do own a very nice van Gogh pen that I purchased on a previous visit.
Have you visited the Van Gogh Museum? What are some of your favorites? Share in the comments below.
Do you enjoy reading novels set in the places you are traveling to? I know I do. I love curling up at the end of a long day of sightseeing and reading a novel that helps me revisit the places I’ve seen.
I’ve chosen my top ten novels based on two criteria. First, the novel needs to evoke a sense of the place in which it was set, and second, it needs to relate in some way to the arts. You’re sure to find some new-to-you reads to take along on your next trip, or even to stay at home with.
England
Entertaining Mr Pepysby Deborah Swift
Entertaining Mr Pepys is the third novel in Deborah Swift’s “Women of Pepys’ Diary” series. All three novels are worth taking along if you are spending time in London and want a fascinating glimpse of what life was like in the 1660s. Famed diarist Samuel Pepys is at the center of this and the first two novels (Pleasing Mr Pepys and A Plague on Mr Pepys), each following a different woman who knew Samuel and was mentioned in his diary. In Entertaining Mr Pepys, the actress Elizabeth (Bird) Carpenter takes center stage as she navigates the world of the theater when women were finally allowed on stage as actresses. If you enjoy impeccably researched historical novels with plenty of intrigue, then the “Women of Pepys’ Diary” series is for you.
The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett
While traveling in England, plan on touring some of its awesome cathedrals (don’t miss York Minster, Salisbury Cathedral, and Durham Cathedral to name just three of my faves!) and then settle down with The Lost Book of the Grail. The setting is an ancient cathedral in the fictional town of Barchester. Flashback chapters open with succinct descriptions of cathedral areas such as cloisters, the nave, chapels, and more that I found fascinating. Through a series of clever flashbacks, you navigate the history of the cathedral from its founding by a martyred saint through the Norman invasion, Reformation, Civil War, Victorian era, World War II, and modern times. The plot’s twists and turns provide enough mystery to make the denouement both surprising and satisfying.
France
Drawing Lessons by Patricia Sands
Are you taking a trip to Provence? Then pack or download a copy of Drawing Lessons, a delicious novel set in Arles that follows a woman’s quest to redefine herself after the death of her husband. Patricia Sands evokes the sensuous delights of Provence so beautifully that you’ll feel like you are there. And if, indeed, you are there, you’ll have the sights and smells that surround you confirmed in the story.
The Paris Hours by Alex George
This is the novel to read when you’re spending time in Paris. The Paris Hours tells the stories of four “ordinary” people during one day in Paris in 1927. Along the way, they encounter an extraordinary panoply of luminaries including Hemingway, Proust, Picasso, Gertrude Stein, Ravel, Josephine Baker, and even Sylvia Beach, the proprietor of Paris’s most famous English bookstore, Shakespeare & Company. Alex George brings the ambience, and the people, of Paris to life as he takes readers through streets and parks they can still walk through today. Surprises and twists abound in one of the most cleverly plotted and exquisitely written novels I’ve read in a long while.
Germany
And After the Fireby Lauren Belfer
I am a huge fan of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach (check out my visit to the Bach Museum in Leipzig) and so And After the Fire was the novel for me. It tells the fascinating story of a lost Bach manuscript with a disturbing message. The story spans over two hundred years, from Berlin in the 18th century through the Holocaust to New York in contemporary times. Inspired by historical events, the compelling narrative of this deeply researched and evocative novel resonates with emotion and immediacy.
Chasing the Wind by C. C. Humphreys
Heading for Berlin? Take along Chasing the Wind, a rollicking good adventure that mixes a Bruegel masterpiece, a female aviator, espionage, and the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It’s a page-turner, so make sure you’ve finished your sightseeing for the day before reading it, else you may decide to stay in your hotel room and read rather than go out to sample Berlin’s many museums (check out Booming Berlin: Your Artsy Guide for suggestions about what to do during a three-day visit to Berlin).
Italy
Raphael, Painter in Rome by Stephanie Storey
No trip to Rome is complete without experiencing the art of Raphael, Michelangelo and da Vinci. And the perfect novel to accompany you is Raphael, Painter in Romeby Stephanie Storey, and her other novel Oil and Marble. Both chronicle the lives of three of the most renowned artists in western Europe: Raphael in Raphael, Painter in Rome and Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci in Oil and Marble. Even in the 21st century, there are parts of old Rome in which only a small leap of the imagination is needed to be transported back to the Renaissance when intrigue lurked around every corner and the smell of oil paint was heavy in the air. Raphael. Painter in Rome takes you deep into the heart of a Rome that may be long gone but still lingers in the imagination after dark.
Netherlands
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
One of the things I love about touring the Netherlands is how the light often reminds me of an Old Master painting. One of the most famous is Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. So, the perfect read for fans of his work is the novel of the same name by Tracy Chevalier. Set in 17th-century Delft, Girl with a Pearl Earring is a richly-imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired the painting. I love how Chevalier seamlessly merges history and fiction in this and many of her other novels set in Europe, including The Lady and the Unicorn (14th-century France), Burning Bright(late 18th-century London), Falling Angels (early 20th-century London), A Single Thread(1930s England), and Remarkable Creatures (early 19th-century England).
Spain
The Return by Victoria Hislop
I picked up a copy of The Returnin a second-hand bookstore while wandering the back streets of Antibes seeking shade at the height of the 2019 heat wave (la canicule, as the French called it). It was the perfect novel to read while traveling west into Spain. It takes place both in the present and during the Spanish Civil War, a time in history about which I knew very little. The story of a flamenco guitar player (a tocadores) and a flamenco dancer (a bailaora) who fall in love in 1930s Granada and are separated during the terrible excesses of the Spanish Civil War will stay with you long after you leave Spain.
The Miramonde Trilogy by Amy Maroney
For a book lover, few things are more enchanting than enjoying a novel and then discovering that it’s the first in a trilogy. I had that experience after reading The Girl from Oto, the first offering in Amy Maroney’s trilogy about a female artist in Renaissance Spain, the other two novels being Mira’s Way and A Place in the World. I read all three not long after I traveled through the Pyrenees where much of the story takes place. Amy Maroney brings the region to life wonderfully—its wildlife and independent mountain people, the sweeping landscapes and harsh weather, and the turbulent history during the time when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were on the throne.
What’s your favorite artsy novel set in Europe? Share your recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
Amsterdam has plenty of sights and activities to keep you busy for two full days and three nights. If you’re pressed for time, you can see most of the high points in a two-night stay.
Following are my suggestions for two full days in Amsterdam. Stay in a hotel on one of the outer canals, such as the Herengracht, Prinsengracht, or Keizersgracht. From there, you’ll be able to walk almost everywhere.
Orientation to Amsterdam
The map below shows the places mentioned in this post. Click a number on the map for more information.
First thing in the morning, after fortifying yourself with a breakfast where good bread and Gouda cheese will likely play a role, head to the Museumplein.
Tour either the Van Gogh Museum (#1 on the map) or the Rijksmuseum (#2) as soon as it opens. Don’t try touring both museums on one day or you’ll risk art overload.
Buy your tickets online well ahead of your visit. I suggest visiting one major museum on one morning and the other on the next morning or later that afternoon.
Avoid going to either museum in the middle of the day when both are mobbed (particularly the Van Gogh Museum).
Here’s information about the Van Gogh Museum, with details about the Rijksmuseum provided under Day 2.
Van Gogh Museum
Armed with the ticket you pre-purchased, arrive at the Van Gogh Museum at your appointed time (preferably as early as possible).
The Van Gogh Museum lives up to the hype as one of Europe’s most visit-worthy art museums. You get a wonderful overview of van Gogh’s work from the early years to the very end.
In fact, the museum contains the world’s largest collection of van Gogh’s art, including such signature pieces as Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, and a personal favorite, Wheatfield with Crows, one of his last paintings. Download the app provided by the museum. It’s a good one.
Check out my detailed overview of the Van Gogh Museum and my suggestions for touring.
In the afternoon (weather depending), take a canal cruise and visit Anne Frank House.
Anne Frank House
I first visited Anne Frank House (#3) when I was fourteen–the same age Anne Frank was when she was murdered.
Walk behind the bookcase that concealed the hiding place to view the unbelievably cramped spaces. It’s impossible to imagine how Anne and seven other people lived there for two years.
You must buy your ticket online for a specific time slot up to two months in advance to visit the Anne Frank House. Tickets sell out fast so check the website two months before you plan to be in Amsterdam. Don’t wait or you may be disappointed.
Canal Cruise
Take a canal cruise (#4) while you’re in Amsterdam. If the skies are clear, go later in the afternoon when the light turns golden. During the summer months, consider an evening cruise. You’ll get a different perspective on Amsterdam as you glide past gabled houses and under bridges crusted with lights.
Here are options for canal cruises in Amsterdam. Some include dinner.
Amsterdam at night–it’s magical; this vista is next to where we stayed on the Herengracht.
On your first evening, venture into the lively Centrum. Enjoy a beer at a canalside restaurant, then wander back to the quieter canals to avoid marauding bands of partying Brits.
The people of Amsterdam are working hard to take back their city from the invasion of large groups–often from England. Here’s an interesting article about over-tourism in Amsterdam.
If you steer clear of the streets around the station (the infamous Red Light District) and stick to the canals in the outer rings of the Centrum (the Keizersgracht, Herengracht, and Prinsengracht), you’ll find plenty of peaceful walks, lively and safe squares like the Rembrandtplein (#5), and attractive canal vistas.
Day 2 in Amsterdam
Depending on which of the two art biggies you visited on Day 1, visit the other on Day 2. Again, make sure you purchase your ticket ahead of time and choose a time either early in the day or later in the afternoon to avoid the crowds.
Rijksmuseum
If you enter the Rijksmuseum (#2) when it opens at 9 am, you’ll have it all to yourself. On a recent visit there in April, we barely saw another person for a good hour after entering around 9:15.
By the time we left around noon, the line-up extended out into the rainy Museumplein. Satiated by great art and in cheery spirits after our leisurely stroll through near-empty galleries, we pitied the sad-looking tourists huddled under dripping umbrellas. Don’t be one of those tourists!
Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam
The Rijksmuseum houses some of the greatest Dutch art in Europe. You’ll find numerous works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Frans Hals in more than thirty galleries that feature art from the Dutch Golden Age.
A special room is devoted to displaying Rembrandt’s TheNight Watch, a vast improvement from when I first saw the painting back in 1970. Then, the painting was so dark and ill-lit that my 14-year-old self left unimpressed.
Now, the painting holds pride of place in a special gallery that most of the time teems with camera-snapping tourists. Remember – go early and contemplate Rembrandt’s masterpiece in blessed solitude.
The Night Watch by Rembrandt: buy tickets in advance for the Rijksmuseum
Paintings from the Golden Age are just some of the attractions at the Rijksmuseum.
I was taken by the Medieval/Renaissance collection (1100 to 1600) displayed in beautifully lit and organized galleries. Since most visitors make a beeline for TheNight Watch, you’ll find the medieval galleries comfortably empty. Enjoy numerous paintings, sculptures, objets d’art, furniture, and even tapestries.
As the premier museum in the Netherlands, the Rijksmuseum has even more to offer, including special exhibitions. These usually require an additional ticket so check ahead.
For more about the Rijksmuseum, check my dedicated post detailing more fabulous things see during your visit.
Lunchtime Concert at the Concertgebouw
If you’re in Amsterdam on a Wednesday, drop in to the Concertgebouw (#5) across the street from the Museumplein for a free lunchtime concert. You’ll be one of the few tourists there enjoying classical music alongside locals.
We saw an amazing concert of two vibraphonists–one Dutch and one Italian. Arrive well ahead of time to make sure you get a seat. The concerts are popular and fill up fast.
Check the Concertgebouw website for details about the free lunchtime concerts.
H’ART Museum
When we’re in Amsterdam, we almost always pay a visit to the H’ART Museum (#6), which was formerly known as the Hermitage Museum. The H’ART Museum is an art museum where famous works of art and stories from around the world are brought together in one-of-a-kind exhibitions.
In our experience, this large museum overlooking the Amstel River has never been crowded and is a delight to walk around. At the back, enjoy lunch in the courtyard garden, a calm oasis in this bustling city.
Begijnhof
Another calm oasis is the charming Begijnhof (#7) courtyard surrounded by old-style Dutch homes that date to the 14th century, although most of the facades were replaced in the 17th and 18th centuries. The wooden house (Houten Huys) at Begijnhof 34 is the oldest house in Amsterdam.
Step into the Begijnhof chapel to view a series of panels that tell the story of the Miracle of Amsterdam.
Lovely Begijnhof courtyard of characteristic Amsterdam homes
Walk Along the Canals
Apart from viewing art, one of my favorite things to do in Amsterdam is to wander along the main canals. Cross bridges, browse the shops, and snap picture after picture of the fabulous narrow houses, many dating from the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century.
Take your time getting to know the quieter parts of this lovely city. Walk over to Vondelpark (#8) and join other people at play.
If you’re feeling brave, rent a bike. But be warned – locals ride fast! When you’re walking, always check that you’re not in a bike lane or you risk hearing the clang of a bell attached to a sturdy bike ridden upright by an angry Dutch person.
For more to see and do in Amsterdam, check out these tours and suggestions.
Eating in Amsterdam
On at least one evening, enjoy a Rijsttafel meal. This Indonesian import consists of up to forty small dishes, including egg rolls, sambals, satay, fish, fruit, vegetables, pickles, nuts, and more, accompanied by rice. The variations of taste, texture, and heat make rijsttafel (in Dutch, “rice table”) an eating adventure.
Be careful! Some of the food is super spicy!
Staying in Amsterdam
In my experience, Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most expensive cities. Plan on spending at least €300-€400 per night for a decent hotel in a central area of Amsterdam. We’ve found that splurging for a good hotel in an attractive area is well worth it.
Occasionally, we’ve stayed farther out in cheaper hotels in nondescript neighborhoods and have regretted the decision.
The Mokum Suites on Herengracht is a wonderful choice as is the apartment called Here’s Lucy that is right in the heart of Amsterdam. You can walk everywhere.
The map below shows options for hotels in Amsterdam.
