Amsterdam has much to offer, for residents and visitors alike. That was also the case in the old days. Look at Amsterdam through Rembrandt’s eyes and discover what had already made the city unique 400 years ago. Admire old buildings, unusual places and beautiful surroundings. Enjoy the art, culture and entertainment. Meet interesting people. Spot well-known Amsterdam residents. And find out whether the city already had a red light district in the 17th century. You can see it all in this exhibition containing 60 prints and drawings from the collection of the Rembrandt House Museum.
Themes in the exhibition
The City
Old Buildings
Amsterdam’s appeal lies largely in its centuries-old buildings. Nowadays the canal district is one of the most photographed places in the world. Rembrandt also had a preference for old buildings. But in his case not the canal houses – they were newly built in his time. Rembrandt looked at much older buildings, such as the ruins of the medieval town hall. He made drawings of it on the spot.
People Watching
If you walked along the streets in seventeenth-century Amsterdam you would have met all kinds of people. On one street corner you might be asked for alms, on the next one you might shake hands with an eccentric pedlar. On the way you might run into a drunkard, an expat and an intellectual. Exactly like today. The ideal city for Rembrandt, who found all of those different people fascinating.
Special Places
Amsterdam has those special places where people like to go. A beautiful viewpoint or a striking monument, for example. Rembrandt enjoyed walking and also visited those special places – just stand still and enjoy.
Beautiful Environment
A beautiful city cannot exist without beautiful surroundings. In the seventeenth century Amsterdam was much smaller than it is now and the countryside began at the end of Rembrandt’s street. Rembrandt loved the flat polder land around Amsterdam: he made many more prints of it than of the city itself. Sometimes with a dreamed-up addition. All of those places are now in the suburbs of Amsterdam.
Neighbours
Rembrandt’s neighbourhood was a cultural and economic melting pot. Artists, merchants, Jews and Black Amsterdammers lived there. Rich and poor lived alongside one another. For Rembrandt his neighbours were a huge source of inspiration. But a good neighbour also meant a profitable neighbour for Rembrandt: some of them were also his clients.
Famous Amsterdammers
A big city naturally also has famous residents. They add glamour to city life. Rembrandt knew many famous Amsterdammers, because he had made portraits of them. What is striking about his portrait prints is that there are no famous Amsterdam women among them – while there certainly were.
Art and Culture
Nowadays, Amsterdam is the city with the most museums in the Netherlands. But even in the seventeenth century, people came here to enjoy art and culture. Museums did not yet exist, but you could view art in collectors’ homes or visit auctions. Rembrandt of course had his own collection of prints and drawings, not only by Dutch artists, but also by artists from Germany and Italy.
Entertainment
Entertainment is perhaps one of Amsterdam’s main attractions today – from cinemas and casinos to canal boats and football stadiums. They couldn’t match what’s on offer now in the seventeenth century, but there was plenty to do even then. For example, there was an autumn fair in the Botermarkt and you could go to the theatre in the Schouwburg twice a week. And then there were the inns, drinking establishments and gambling houses, where music was also played.
Loose Morals
Amsterdam is a city where much is possible and morals are not too strict. Now the Red Light District is even a tourist attraction. In the seventeenth century there was also a red light district where sex workers received their clients, mostly sailors. The then Ridderstraat and Jonkerstraat in particular – near the Nieuwmarkt – were notorious for their brothels. Perhaps we also see the sex workers in Rembrandt’s prints – as models who posed naked for him.
Publication
A beautifully designed publication will accompany the exhibition Rembrandt & Amsterdam, featuring descriptions of all the etchings on display. This publication is the third in a thematic series about Rembrandt’s etchings from the collection of The Rembrandt House Museum. The previous publications, Rembrandt & Love and Rembrandt & the World, are available separately. The text and editing are by Nathalie Maciesza and Epco Runia, both affiliated with the museum. The publication Rembrandt & Amsterdam was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Zadelhoff Culture Fund.
