Today I made Dan get up so we could go on an adventure outside of Amsterdam. Originally I wanted to go to the flower auction in Aalsmere, but getting there seemed iffy (buses) and we would have had to get up at like 05:00. So instead I dragged him off to Den Haag (The Hague) and Delft.
Views from the train -
It was a 20-30 minute train ride from Schipol to Den Haag.
Swans! Swans everywhere! Like fields.... and in flocks...
FIRST WINDMILL SPOTTING!!!!!
Dutch sheep. This photo is for a specific family. You know who you are.
Every so often we would pass these little village type things. Some of them were very nice, like this one, with yards and gardens and things, and other ones were basically like shanty towns. I am not sure if they are communities of people who live in low square meter residences or what is going on. Anyone know?
SECOND WINDMILL SPOTTING!!!
We can officially say we've been to the Netherlands now. You haven't been unless you've seen two windmills. One spotting is a fluke/tourist attraction, but two or more is legit.
Den Haag: Mauritshuis Museum -
Outside of the Mauritshuis Museum.
Joachim Beucklaer - "Kitchen Scene with Christ at Emmaus"
This looks like a still life, but BAM! Then it's a painting about Jesus (top right corner).
Didn't see that coming did you?
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I forget what the deal with this room is, the one statute looking painting is one of four like it representing the four elements.
The candles are held by brackets that look like fists holding candles.
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Willem van Haecht - "Apelles Painting Campaspe"
Yup.
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Peter Paul Rubens -
"Old Woman and Boy with Candles"
This is the painted in the style of Caravaggio which Rubens saw in Italy.
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Jan Davidsz de Heem - "Vase with Flowers"
Not all these flowers would be in bloom at the same time. Studies of the flowers would be done when they were in bloom and then the final composition would be put together for the painting.
You can easily get Madonna and Child'ed out in Florence. In Amsterdam you can get Vase with Flower'ed out pretty easily.
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Johannes Varmeer - "View of Delft"
Johannes Vermeer - "Girl with a Pearl Earring"
This is a "tronie" not a portrait. The distinction being that a tronie is of an imaginary figure.
Aelbert Cuyp - "Peasants and Cattle by the River Merwede"
Cows!
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Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn - "The Moors"
I can see why he just went by "Rembrandt."
This painting is one of the few portraits style paintings of dark skinned people from the Dutch Master era.
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Rembrandt - "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp"
This is a group portrait without everyone being in a line. A concept we still have trouble with today.
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This is a view out of the Mauritshuis Museum to the gateway.
The glass tube in the bottom left is the elevator down to the entrance to the museum.
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This is a copy of the bust of John Maurits, for whom the house was originally built.
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This is a painting of the Mauritshuis as it would have looked in early 1800's.
It doesn't look much different.
Den Haag: Wandering -
This is what is behind the gateway that we could see from the Mauritshuis Museum. It's a castle church thing.....maybe....
Dan thought this arch decoration was a Thundercat. I'm not sure I can disagree with him.
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The fountain outside of the maybe castle church thingie.
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A cute shopping square....er....triangle.
Den Haag: Escher Museum -
The Escher Museum is held inside the Lange Voorhout Palace, which was home to Queen Emma during the Winter times.
Look at that fancy railing! LOOK AT IT!
Reptiles - 1943
Square Limit - 1964
Carved Wooden Ball - 1949 - Commissioned from M.C. Escher by P. Kessler
Notebook studies.
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Commission for the Tijdelike Academie.
Look! He didn't just do weird perspective things.
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Still Life and Street - 1937
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Study of Saint Peters and the following wood cut - 1935
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Freighter - 1936
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View of Atrani, Amalfi Coast - 1931
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The following are some of the creative chandeliers that were created for the Escher Museum. Dan totally failed to see any of these. He never looked up.
The entryway chandelier.
A very sparkly skull and cross bones.
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An umbrella (left) and a seahorse (right).
All the chandeliers were made out of crystals.
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This was some sculpture that I could see from one of the windows of the Escher Museum. I'm not sure what's going on, but I think they guy on the ground is upset because he forgot to bring crumpets.
This is a sign? graffiti? something? for a cupcake shop nearby. It was closed. : (
Delft -
This is my view of Delft.
Delft: Royal Delft -
This is the time travel portion of our Royal Delft ceramics tour.
One of the master painters working his craft.
Examples of the process. Blank, painted, fired.
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This arch (left) and garden (right) are "show rooms" for types of industrial ceramics that Delft could create. I don't remember if they still make them or not.
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More examples of industrial ceramics.
Rembrandt's The Night Watch in Royal Delft tiles.
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More industrial samples (left).
Me being silly in Dutch clogs (right). The Japanese tour group laughed at me.
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The Royal Delft factory floor. These are molds and base pieces.
Real hand painted Delft is SUPER spendy. Dan and I got a small vase, on discount.
This concludes the Royal Delft portion of our adventure.
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The Netherlands really like their bicycles.
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Dan fell asleep on the train ride back. I may have also dozed a bit.
This concludes our adventures for today.
I will end today with the fourth verse of our song:
The third one's name was Jay-ay-cob.
The third one's name was Jay-ay-cob.
Jay-ay, Jay-ay, cob cob cob.
Jay-ay, Jay-ay, cob cob cob.
The third one's name was Jay-ay-cob.
