Latest news with #Rembrandt
The Age
3 days ago
- The Age
Exploring Scandinavia: Jessica Rowe's Viking cruise through nordic wonders
Waking up next to the Stockholm archipelago, I pull back our cabin's curtains to reveal the soft, yellow dawn light gently pushing against the low, grey clouds. Their reflection is mirrored in the Baltic Sea, the surface swirling in a mixture of luminous gold and silvery grey, like chiaroscuro in a Rembrandt painting. 'Why are you up?' asks my mum, still snuggled under her blanket. 'This is what I'm doing, Mummo!' I say, gesturing at the fairy-tale vista from our balcony aboard the Viking Jupiter. Jessica Rowe (with her mother Penelope, left) in one of the furry hats she packed for her Scandinavian cruise. It's not long before Mum joins me, wrapped in her dressing gown. I've got mine on, too, not to mention a cream faux-fur hat. We are on the Viking Homelands Tour, a trip we've talked about for years (Scandinavia has long fascinated us both). It first weaved its magic for me when Mum passed on her passion for Viking sagas and Scandi noir novels and dramas. More recently, I've been taken with the region's fashion, licorice, pastries and fairy tales. Though neither of us is usually short of words, we're silent as we cruise past the beauty of the archipelago. Rocky outcrops make way for larger islands; small summer houses, painted red or navy, nestle among birch and pine trees. 'Look, a swan!' says Mum, pointing in the distance. Her eyesight is better than mine, so I put on my glasses. 'Oh, it's Swan Lake!' I say to Mum as more white swans come into view. Sunsets are magical in Södermalm, one of Stockholm's hippest districts. Credit: iStock Water is central to the identity of the Swedish capital. I zip a puffer over my PJs and head to the top of the ship for a panoramic view of this city of islands. In front of us is Gamla Stan, the Old Town, founded in the 13th century. Turning around, we see Södermalm, one of the city's coolest neighbourhoods. Our cruise had begun in Bergen and, before we set sail, there was a day to wander through one of Norway's oldest cities. Then, each morning during the 15-day trip, my body clock seems in sync with our port arrivals so there's no need to set the alarm. The gentle morning light guides us into ports including Eidfjord, Stavanger, Oslo, Ålborg, Copenhagen, Berlin (via Warnemünde), Bornholm, Gdansk and Tallinn. In each, we got to experience their beauty and hear their fascinating histories.
The Age
4 days ago
- The Age
I spent two weeks on a Nordic cruise with my mum. Here's how it went
This story is part of the July 20 edition of Sunday Life. See all 13 stories. Waking up next to the Stockholm archipelago, I pull back our cabin's curtains to reveal the soft, yellow dawn light gently pushing against the low, grey clouds. Their reflection is mirrored in the Baltic Sea, the surface swirling in a mixture of luminous gold and silvery grey, like chiaroscuro in a Rembrandt painting. 'Why are you up?' asks my mum, still snuggled under her blanket. 'This is what I'm doing, Mummo!' I say, gesturing at the fairy-tale vista from our balcony aboard the Viking Jupiter. It's not long before Mum joins me, wrapped in her dressing gown. I've got mine on, too, not to mention a cream faux-fur hat. We are on the Viking Homelands Tour, a trip we've talked about for years (Scandinavia has long fascinated us both). It first weaved its magic for me when Mum passed on her passion for Viking sagas and Scandi noir novels and dramas. More recently, I've been taken with the region's fashion, licorice, pastries and fairy tales. Though neither of us is usually short of words, we're silent as we cruise past the beauty of the archipelago. Rocky outcrops make way for larger islands; small summer houses, painted red or navy, nestle among birch and pine trees. 'Look, a swan!' says Mum, pointing in the distance. Her eyesight is better than mine, so I put on my glasses. 'Oh, it's Swan Lake!' I say to Mum as more white swans come into view. Water is central to the identity of the Swedish capital. I zip a puffer over my PJs and head to the top of the ship for a panoramic view of this city of islands. In front of us is Gamla Stan, the Old Town, founded in the 13th century. Turning around, we see Södermalm, one of the city's coolest neighbourhoods. Our cruise had begun in Bergen and, before we set sail, there was a day to wander through one of Norway's oldest cities. Then, each morning during the 15-day trip, my body clock seems in sync with our port arrivals so there's no need to set the alarm. The gentle morning light guides us into ports including Eidfjord, Stavanger, Oslo, Ålborg, Copenhagen, Berlin (via Warnemünde), Bornholm, Gdansk and Tallinn. In each, we got to experience their beauty and hear their fascinating histories.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
I spent two weeks on a Nordic cruise with my mum. Here's how it went
This story is part of the July 20 edition of Sunday Life. See all 13 stories. Waking up next to the Stockholm archipelago, I pull back our cabin's curtains to reveal the soft, yellow dawn light gently pushing against the low, grey clouds. Their reflection is mirrored in the Baltic Sea, the surface swirling in a mixture of luminous gold and silvery grey, like chiaroscuro in a Rembrandt painting. 'Why are you up?' asks my mum, still snuggled under her blanket. 'This is what I'm doing, Mummo!' I say, gesturing at the fairy-tale vista from our balcony aboard the Viking Jupiter. It's not long before Mum joins me, wrapped in her dressing gown. I've got mine on, too, not to mention a cream faux-fur hat. We are on the Viking Homelands Tour, a trip we've talked about for years (Scandinavia has long fascinated us both). It first weaved its magic for me when Mum passed on her passion for Viking sagas and Scandi noir novels and dramas. More recently, I've been taken with the region's fashion, licorice, pastries and fairy tales. Though neither of us is usually short of words, we're silent as we cruise past the beauty of the archipelago. Rocky outcrops make way for larger islands; small summer houses, painted red or navy, nestle among birch and pine trees. 'Look, a swan!' says Mum, pointing in the distance. Her eyesight is better than mine, so I put on my glasses. 'Oh, it's Swan Lake!' I say to Mum as more white swans come into view. Water is central to the identity of the Swedish capital. I zip a puffer over my PJs and head to the top of the ship for a panoramic view of this city of islands. In front of us is Gamla Stan, the Old Town, founded in the 13th century. Turning around, we see Södermalm, one of the city's coolest neighbourhoods. Our cruise had begun in Bergen and, before we set sail, there was a day to wander through one of Norway's oldest cities. Then, each morning during the 15-day trip, my body clock seems in sync with our port arrivals so there's no need to set the alarm. The gentle morning light guides us into ports including Eidfjord, Stavanger, Oslo, Ålborg, Copenhagen, Berlin (via Warnemünde), Bornholm, Gdansk and Tallinn. In each, we got to experience their beauty and hear their fascinating histories.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Daily Quiz: On Rembrandt
Daily Quiz: On Rembrandt Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit YOUR SCORE 0 /6 RETAKE THE QUIZ 1 / 6 | In which well-known Dutch town was he born and what does his full name Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn mean? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : Leiden and his name means 'Rembrandt, son of Harmen, from the Rhine' SHOW ANSWER 2 / 6 | He signed his early works as RHL for his Latinate name Rembrandus Hermanni Leydensis. Which celebrated work is said to be the first painting in which he used the simple name signature 'Rembrandt'? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp (1632). SHOW ANSWER 3 / 6 | Which work painted in 1625 and now displayed in Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, Lyon, is considered his first signed painting and also features him in the work? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : 'The Stoning of Saint Stephen' SHOW ANSWER 4 / 6 | Which painting, set in a brooding chiaroscuro, shows the apostles reacting to the moment Jesus reveals his identity post-resurrection? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : The Supper at Emmaus (1648) SHOW ANSWER 5 / 6 | Where is the 'Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee' painted in 1633 now located? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : Nobody knows as it was stolen from Boson's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990 and not yet recovered. SHOW ANSWER
Telegraph
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The 10 best museums in Amsterdam
For a small country, the Netherlands has made a huge impact on world art, both back in the 17th century, then again with straight lines and bold primary colours in the 20th – with Van Gogh slipped in along the way. So, the Big Three museums – Old Masters, Van Gogh and modern art respectively – lead the way. But Amsterdam is a treasure box of other attractions, too, from a quirky collection of mechanical pianos, through canal-side mansions dripping with chandeliers and shining with silver, to boundary-bursting photography, and an urban explosion of street art and graffiti. All our museum recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert. Find out more below or for further inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants, shopping, bars & cafés, attractions and free things to do. Find a museum by type: Art History Culture Art Rijksmuseum One of the world's great art museums adds glittering gold and silver, centuries-old costumes, furniture fit for royalty, and precious dolls' houses to a parade of Old Masters that includes Rembrandt, Vermeer, Jan Steen and Frans Hals. Insider tip: First check out the exceptional centuries-old treasures in the Asian Pavilion downstairs, and save the Old Masters till after 3.30pm, when the halls are less busy. Neighbourhood: Museum Quarter Metro: Trams 2, 3, 5, 12; Vijzelstraat metro Website: Van Gogh Museum More of Van Gogh's canvases hang here than anywhere else in the world, including Sunflowers and Wheatfield with Crows, alongside sketches, letters and much else, in an imaginative display that brings you up close to the man himself. Insider tip: Pre-book as far in advance as you can, and aim for early in the week, after 3.30pm to avoid the really busy periods. Neighbourhood: Museum Quarter Metro: Trams 2, 3, 5, 12; Vijzelstraat metro Website: Stedelijk Museum This museum is home to all that has rocked modern and contemporary art, both Dutch (De Stijl, CoBra, Mondrian) and international (Picasso, Malevich, Warhol), from the 20th century till now. And there's a fine collection of design, too. Insider tip: It's hidden at the back of the museum downstairs, but don't miss the Appelbar, the Stedelijk's original refreshment kiosk with bright murals by CoBrA artist Karel Appel. FOAM Blockbuster shows and retrospectives of big-name photographers (such as Richard Avedon and Cartier-Bresson) share space with radical new talent, and forays into the furthest limits of where photography can take us. Solo shows, themed exhibitions and plenty of discussion forums join the mix. Insider tip: Buy a 'FOAM Edition' – an original photo by a past exhibitor, in the FOAM Gallery shop at the top of the building. Return to index History Verzetsmuseum (Museum of the Resistance) A riveting insight into life in the Netherlands under the Nazi occupation, and of the Dutch resistance movement. Interactive displays, along with the personal stories of heroes, Nazi collaborators and ordinary people trapped in between put you right in the moment. Insider tip: Press a doorbell to hear the various excuses neighbours offered for not taking on an onderduiker (secret lodger, hiding from the Nazis). It makes it all seem very real. Neighbourhood: Amsterdam East / former Jewish Quarter Metro: Tram 14; Waterlooplein metro Website: Joods Cultureel Kwartier (Jewish Cultural Quarter) Amsterdam's former Jewish quarter is home to monuments and museums that explore a community that made an essential contribution to the city: a culturally rich Jewish Historical Museum, the magnificent 17th-century Portuguese Synagogue and a sobering National Holocaust Museum. Insider tip: A combined ticket valid for the historical museum, the holocaust museum and the Portuguese Synagogue is valid for a week and good value. Return to index Culture Museum Van Loon Of all the canal houses open to the public, this 17th-century mansion is the one that most has the atmosphere of an (admittedly very grand) family home. Among the portraits and tinkling crystal you are back in another age – but it feels as if the owners might be back any minute and catch you there. Insider tip: Don't miss the elegant formal garden, hidden from the street view behind the house. Neighbourhood: Canal Belt Metro: Tram 2, 4, 12, 17. Vijzelgracht metro Website: Huis Marseille Grand canal house meets fascinating photography, Huis Marseille stages engaging and challenging contemporary photo and video exhibitions, often hung in ways that respond to its historic architecture, drawing on outside artists as well as its strong in-house collection of mainly Dutch, South African and Japanese work. Insider tip: Look up! The ceiling in the Garden Room is by Jacob de Wit, the leading 18th-century Dutch interiors painter. Neighbourhood: Canal Belt Metro: Tram 2, 12, 17; Rokin metro Website: STЯAAT: Street Art Museum Amsterdam A wharf-side warehouse in former docklands offers the wall space necessary for gigantic displays of street art and graffiti. Abstract or graphic, startling or soothing, there's work by both local and international artists, and even workshops if you want a go yourself. Insider tip: A Museum Card is not valid for this museum, but there's plenty of street art outside as the area is a hotspot for local graffiti artists. Geelvinck Pianola Museum Discover a fascinating collection of self-playing pianos, from the Charlie Chaplin honky-tonk variety to sophisticated instruments whose scrolls reproduce every nuance of the original pianist's playing – with a collection of original scrolls created by the likes of Prokofiev and Debussy. Insider tip: See and hear the machines put through their paces, sometimes in combo with live musicians at one of the regular 'recitals'. Return to index How we choose Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations. About our expert Rodney Bolt lighted upon Amsterdam nearly 30 years ago after flitting through Greece, Germany, and the UK, and nothing could persuade him to leave. He has written on everything he loves about the city for publications worldwide, and co-authors the Peter Posthumus mysteries, all set in Amsterdam. Strolling along the canals still tops his list of life's pleasures.
