Tag Archives: The Netherlands

Travel Tour: The Island Of Marken, Netherlands (8K)

The Flying Dutchman (April 19, 2023) – The island of Marken has been inhabited since the thirteenth century. During this period, the island was owned by the Frisian monastery Mariëngaarde, who built dikes and a drainage system here. They also ensured that agriculture and livestock farming became possible here.

About a century later, the monks were expelled here by Count William the Fourth of Holland. After this, the island quickly impoverished, the islanders were forced to live on mounds to protect themselves against the water.

These mounds are known here as wharves, a number of these wharfs are still inhabited. The many floods made farming impossible and fishing became the island’s main source of income. This came to an end with the arrival of the Afsluitdijk.

Nature In The City: The ‘Herons Of Amsterdam’

BBC Earth (March 19, 2023) – Herons are known to be shy birds, but in Amsterdam they have made quite a name for themselves, taking full advantage of the waterways.

The grey heron (Ardea cinerea ) is a long-legged wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern parts migrate southwards in autumn. A bird of wetland areas, it can be seen around lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes and on the sea coast. It feeds mostly on aquatic creatures which it catches after standing stationary beside or in the water or stalking its prey through the shallows.

Reviews: The Week In Art “Vermeer Exhibition 2023”

February 10, 2023: In this special episode, we are in Amsterdam for one of the shows of the year: Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum.

As an unprecedented 28 of the 37 surviving Vermeer paintings are gathered in the Dutch capital, Ben Luke talks to several people involved in the project: Gregor Weber, one of the exhibition’s curators, tells us about his new biography that reveals the depth of influence of the Jesuits and Catholicism on the artist.

In the exhibition itself, we talk to Pieter Roelofs, Weber’s co-curator; Ige Verslype, a conservator who led an extensive research project on Vermeer paintings in the Rijksmuseum, Mauritshuis and Frick collections; and Taco Dibbits, the Rijksmuseum’s director. Plus, we bump into the artist Alvaro Barrington in the exhibition and he tells us what he makes of Vermeer as an artist working today.

In this episode’s Work of the Week, we explore a debate around the attribution of a painting: Betsy Wieseman, Curator and Head of the Department of Northern European Paintings at the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington DC, discusses Girl with a Flute (around 1669-75). Wieseman and her NGA colleagues now regard the painting as a work by Vermeer’s studio, even though it appears in the Rijksmuseum show as an authentic work by the master.Vermeer, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, until 4 June. Gregor Weber, Johannes Vermeer: Faith, Light, Reflection, Rijksmuseum, €25 (pb) 

Art: A Tour Of ‘Vermeer Exhibition’ In Amsterdam

FRANCE 24 (February 8, 2023) – Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum has brought together 28 of Dutch master Johannes Vermeer’s luminous masterpieces from around the world, in the largest-ever exhibition of the 17th century artist’s works.

JOHANNES VERMEER

Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) lived and worked in Delft. His work is best known for his tranquil, introverted indoor scenes, his unprecedented use of bright, colorful light and his convincing illusionism.

In contrast to Rembrandt, Vermeer left a remarkably small oeuvre with about 35 paintings. As his paintings generally considered the most prized treasures of every museum collection, Vermeer paintings are rarely lent out.

BIGGEST EVER VERMEER SHOW TO TAKE PLACE AT THE RIJKSMUSEUM IN 2023—AND IT WILL INCLUDE THE GIRL WITH THE PEARL EARRING

The Art Newspaper

INTERNATIONAL LOANS

The exhibition will include masterpieces such as The Girl with a Pearl Earring (Mauritshuis, The Hague), The Geographer (Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main), Lady Writing a Letter with her Maid (The National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin) and Woman Holding a Balance (The National Gallery of Art, Washington DC).

Works never before shown to the public in the Netherlands will include the newly restored Girl Reading a Letter at the Open Window from the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden.

Architecture And Design: ‘Pearlescent Ceramic Tile’


Mecanoo Architects, The Netherlands The façade’s colour and appearance plays a part in the transition from dune to polder landscape.

The monolithic presence of the building volume is accentuated through the sloping roof surfaces and exterior walls. These are covered with tiles of the same continuous material – multicoloured glazed ceramic tiles. The hue of these tiles forms a coherent whole, making a connection and blending the building into the transformative landscape.

Mecanoo Architects



The naturally sloping landscape embraces Villa BW, with a building volume characterised by a double-curved roof coupled with an unmistakable expression of the facade. The twisting roof is created as a result of two overlapping shapes. A gable roof is designed on the dune-side, also characteristic of the street scene on the Oorsprongweg. In contrast, a horizontal roofline is designed for the polder-side.

The villa is constructed over three floors, with an additional level within the hood of the roof. Due to the natural course of the terrain and the replenishment of an embankment as a continuation of the dune landscape, the ground floor and basement level at -1 have a direct relationship with the surroundings. Facing southeast the connection with the landscape alongside the sloped garden is enhanced by enclosing two voids with a curtain wall system.

The strong connection between the landscape and the house translates into the expression of the facade and roof cladding with the application of a single natural material, expressed through a custom ceramic tile covering that wraps the entire building. This customised multicoloured glazed tile cladding represents the transitions in the landscape, from dune landscape to polder, and the soil layers, from light to dark.

Mecanoo Architects
Mecanoo Architects
Mecanoo Architects

Autumn Walks: De Pijp District In Amsterdam

December 2022 – De Pijp (English: The Pipe) is a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is located directly south of Amsterdam’s city centre and it is part of the borough Amsterdam-Zuid, in a part of the city known as the Old South (Oud Zuid). It is served by De Pijp metro station.

Most streets in De Pijp are named after Dutch painters, like Jan Steen, Frans Hals, Ruysdael and Vincent van Gogh. Diamantbuurt, Nieuwe Pijp and Oude Pijp are the three districts composing the area. The busiest street market of the Netherlands, the Albert Cuyp Market, is located in De Pijp. It is open six days per week and attracts tourists.

The former Heineken brewery is also a local tourist attraction; the former town hall of Nieuwer-Amstel is one of De Pijp’s most notable monuments. Next to the former Heineken brewery is the Marie Heinekenplein, which has a number of bars and cafes. Along the canal Ruysdaelkade, there is a small red-light district.

Amsterdam Walks: The De Pijp Neighborhood (2022)

A walking tour of De Pijp (English: The Pipe), a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is located directly south of Amsterdam’s city centre and it is part of the borough Amsterdam-Zuid, in a part of the city known as the Old South (Oud Zuid). It is served by De Pijp metro station. Most streets in De Pijp are named after Dutch painters, like Jan Steen, Frans Hals, Ruysdael and Vincent van Gogh. Diamantbuurt, Nieuwe Pijp and Oude Pijp are the three districts composing the area.

The busiest street market of the Netherlands, the Albert Cuyp Market, is located in De Pijp. It is open six days per week and attracts tourists. The former Heineken brewery is also a local tourist attraction; the former town hall of Nieuwer-Amstel is one of De Pijp’s most notable monuments. Next to the former Heineken brewery is the Marie Heinekenplein, which has a number of bars and cafes. Along the canal Ruysdaelkade, there is a small red-light district.

2022 Walks: Den Bosch In Southern Netherlands

‘S-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) is a medieval town full of historic buildings, museums, independent shops and cool cafés and restaurants. Come with us on this Netherlands 4K walking tour and discover not only the medieval architecture but how Den Bosch cafe life is alive and vibrant. Enjoy the city centre walk through ‘S-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) showing the towns street life. You can also see what the s-Hertogenbosch/Den Bosch weather is like in the late summer and Autumn.

Exhibition Tour: ‘Golden Boy Gustav Klimt’ (2022)

Walk through our exhibition ‘Golden Boy Gustav Klimt. Inspired by Van Gogh, Rodin, Matisse. Explore how Klimt developed his unique style and how the Austrian artist was inspired by the work of Van Gogh, Toorop, Rodin, Whistler, Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet, Matisse and many other artists. Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) is one of the most fascinating artists of western art history. He is world-famous for his golden and decorative paintings and his portraits of strong women. But who was this ‘golden boy’, and what is the story behind his talent?

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

From 7 October 2022 – l8 January 2023

Tours: 25 Most Beautiful Small Towns In Europe

When planning a vacation to Europe, some of the first destinations that come to mind will be the teeming cities of Paris, London or Rome. Each of these metropolises is incredible, but they are far from all that Europe has to offer.

By exploring some of the smaller towns across the continent, it is possible to see a more authentic, traditional side to Europe. If you’re planning an upcoming getaway to the continent, here are just a few of the most beautiful small towns in Europe.