Page 250 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

248  FR ANCE AND THE L OW C OUNTRIES

u Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is a familiar Amsterdam landmark. It Third floor
possesses an unrivaled collection of about 1 million artworks,
8,000 of which are on display, arranged chronologically in
80 galleries. The museum opened in 1885 to criticism from
Amsterdam’s Protestant community for its Catholic Neo-
Renaissance style. The main building, designed by P.J.H.
Cuypers, underwent
extensive renovation
for ten years and
reopened in 2013.
Winter Landscape with
Skaters (1618)
Mute painter Hendrick
Avercamp specialized in
intricate icy winter scenes.

. The Kitchen Maid
(1658)
The light falling through
the window and the Second floor
stillness of this domestic
scene are typical of Jan
Vermeer’s style. First floor

The Neo-Renaissance
facade of Cuypers’
building is red brick
with elaborate
decoration, including
colored tiles.

Gallery Guide
The entrance to the main building is
through the Atrium. The collection
explores 800 years of Dutch history
through paintings, sculpture, applied
arts, and historical objects. Artworks
are shown side by side, underlining
contrasts and connections. A
pavilion between the main building
and the Philips Wing houses the
Asiatic collection. The Philips Wing
has a café and restaurant on the
ground level, and a floor devoted
to temporary exhibitions.
Key to Floorplan
1100–1600
1600–1700
1700–1800
1800–1900 . St. Elizabeth’s Day Flood (1500)
1900–2000 An unknown artist painted this altar­
piece, which shows a disastrous flood in
Asian Pavillion
1421. The dykes protecting Dordrecht
Special Collections were breached, and 22 villages were
Non­exhibition space swept away by the flood water.
For hotels and restaurants see p260 and p261

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