Rembrandt House Museum
Art museum · Nieuwmarkt/Lastage ·
Home and studio of Rembrandt, with etchings, demos, and history
Home and studio of Rembrandt, with etchings, demos, and history
"Rembrandt purchased this sizable former merchant’s house in 1639, when he was at the peak of his fame as a portraitist of the city’s elite. He lived, painted, and taught in the multistory building for nearly 20 years, and on the topmost floor—the site of his studio and workshop—crafted what is considered his masterpiece, the Night Watch . The home’s interior is not original but rather a faithful re-creation, based upon a room-by-room inventory conducted after the artist declared bankruptcy in 1656 and was eventually forced to leave. Be sure to catch the free daily paint-preparation and etching demonstrations; the former is particularly interesting to understand how difficult—and expensive—it was to acquire and process paint in that era. Though there are no Rembrandt paintings at this museum, you will find a large number of his superb etchings on view in the ground-floor exhibition space."
"The Rembrandt House Museum is a nice departure from Amsterdam's more conventional museums and the long lines you'll face at nearly every one. The museum building, which was the home and studio of artist Rembrandt van Rijn from 1606 to 1669, underwent extremely sophisticated restoration work in the 1990s so that would it could continue to look and feel like a house from the 17th-century. Here, you'll see many of Rembrandt's etchings, graphical pieces, and paintings. There are also demonstrations daily that are fun for the kids—either the etching printing process or a behind-the-scenes look at how paint was made in Rembrandt's day."
"Rembrandt lived and worked in this house between 1639 and 1658, and visitors can explore a recreation of how it was decorated in his time to get a sense of his working life; I wasn’t overly impressed personally, but Rembrandt enthusiasts shouldn’t overlook it." - Matthew Kepnes
"Visiting Rembrandt’s former home gives a neat snapshot into his life: the house where he lived and worked between 1639 and 1658 has been converted into a museum that shows how he painted and how his rooms were decorated, making it a must for serious art-history fans. Admission is 21.50 EUR." - Matthew Kepnes
"Part of the city's roster of major art institutions, this museum focuses on the works and significance of Rembrandt and complements visits to other world-class museums in the area." - SilverKris