This museum is an impressive stone and brick building, constructed in
1877-1885, and filling nearly three acres of ground. It holds a place
among the greatest museums of the world, and in its devotion to its own
particular subject--Dutch art and history--it is unique. It is not the
lover of art alone who will find the place fascinating: the historian
will be held by the military, naval, and colonial collection; the
antiquarian will linger over the old works in gold and silver, the
models of ships of different periods, antique books and furniture,
textiles and stained glass; while the artist will regard the picture
galleries as a treasure house.
For the artist, if interested in the Dutch masters of art, the museum is
the one particular place in Europe. There about him he will find some of
the most celebrated works of Rembrandt, Franz Hals, Paul Potter, Jan
Steen (stane), Hobbema (hob´-be-mah), and other Dutch painters.
The picturesque old buildings of Amsterdam, especially those in the
inner city, will delight the visitor. Many of these have great historic
interest--notable among them Admiral de Ruyter’s (ry´-ter; Dutch,
roi´-ter) house, bearing his portrait in relief on its front, and a
little beyond that the old Montalbans Tower.
[Illustration: Copyright, Underwood & Underwood