Museums and old buildings, part 2

The museum is arranged more or less chronologically with the exhibits from his early years starting on the first floor and his more mature works appearing on the second and third floors. Van Gogh seems to have been a prolific letter writer and his correspondence, especially with his brother Theo, is showcased on the second floor, too.



I purchased the audio tour with my entrance ticket. I thought it added a lot to my visit. But I must also say that it also is a bit distracting. I was glad to have the voice telling me a little more about the painting I was viewing and the events in Van Gogh's life. But there were times I had to shut it down and just look at the painting. Nothing can compare with just gazing at these incredible works of art and becoming immersed in the scene.
My next stop was Rembrandt's house. This is the place where he lived and worked. The house has been restored to appear as it may have during Rembrandt's lifetime. The curators seem to have been helped by Rembrandt's bankruptcy in 1656 because all of his possessions had to be accounted for and sold. Eventually even this house was sold.
I was a little disappointed that more of Rembrandt's etchings were not displayed. The display space was filled with etchings from Hercules Segers, an artist who most likely inspired Rembrandt's work.
Still it was a good visit. Here again, the audio tour was complimentary and it was a good complement to the visit.
The ground floor theater was showing a documentary by Simon Shama that I watched for quite a while but didn't stay for all of it. I'll have to see if I can find it elsewhere to finish it.

It's hard to describe the grandeur of this magnificent building. Glancing up at the ceiling, it looks like you're standing under a great many upside down ships. And they just go up and up.
It's not possible to get a decent photo of the outside of the Oude Kerk because it is surrounded by businesses on three side and a canal on the other. Among the businesses just outside the churches doors are several prostitutes. The church is smack dab in the middle of the red light district. When Amsterdam was still relatively young, ships would dock close by and sailors would come pouring off the ships in search of what sailors would be searching for after a long voyage away from wives and lovers. Since there was a market, sellers appeared. Conveniently, the sailors could walk a few paces and confess their sins in the Oude Kerk.
I almost didn't go into the Oude Kerk. I walked around it once just to get a sense of its size then decided I had better go in since it was the oldest building in the city. And I'm glad I did. The audio tour was first rate and the church is magnificent.
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