Art Museum

Rijksmuseum

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Rijksmuseum is an art museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 2,626 works from its collection are in this catalog, including Paolo Veronese and Jean Baptiste Camille Corot.

About Rijksmuseum

Overview & Identity

The Rijksmuseum, located in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is the national museum of the country and serves as the primary repository for Dutch art and history. Often referred to as the 'State Museum' (Rijksmuseum translates to State Museum), it is renowned globally as the home of Dutch masterpieces, specifically those by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh. The institution holds a collection of over one million objects, with approximately 8,000 on display at any given time, dedicated to showcasing the history and art of the Netherlands from the Middle Ages to the present day.

History & Founding

The origins of the Rijksmuseum trace back to 1800 with the establishment of the Nationale Kunst-Galerij in The Hague. In 1808, King Louis Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, founded a royal museum in Amsterdam, which formed the basis of the current collection. Following the ousting of the Bonapartes, the collection was moved to the Trippenhuis in Amsterdam and officially opened to the public as the Rijksmuseum in 1815. The museum's collection was built over two centuries and did not originate from a single royal collection incorporated into a national museum, but rather grew from modest beginnings in five rooms.

Building & Architecture

The iconic current building of the Rijksmuseum was designed by architect Pierre Cuypers in a combination of Gothic and Renaissance styles, opening to the public in 1885. The structure underwent a major renovation and refurbishment between 2003 and 2013, overseen by Spanish architects Cruz y Ortiz, which restored the museum to its 1885 appearance while integrating modern facilities. The renovation aimed to merge old and new seamlessly, using materials true to the original building to create a 'silent architecture' without a distinct cut between the historic and the new elements.

Collection Highlights & Notable Holdings

The museum's collection is particularly strong in 17th-century Dutch art, featuring masterpieces such as Rembrandt's 'The Night Watch' and Vermeer's 'The Milkmaid'. In 2019, the museum exhibited all 22 of its Rembrandt paintings together, including the marriage portraits of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit. The collection also includes over 2,000 sculptures, a significant Asian collection displayed in the Asian Pavilion, and the Rijksprentenkabinet, which houses one of Europe's finest collections of prints, drawings, and illuminated manuscripts.

Significance & Visitor Impact

The Rijksmuseum is a cultural landmark of immense significance, attracting millions of visitors annually. After its 2013 reopening, the museum's capacity increased to between 1.5 and 2.0 million visitors per year, with a record of 2.47 million visitors reached in 2014. The museum plays a vital role in preserving and presenting Dutch heritage, hosting major exhibitions such as the 2023 display of Vermeer works and the 2021 exhibition on the history of the Dutch Golden Age. Its status as a leading institution is further cemented by its extensive digital collection and ongoing research initiatives.