The Rijksmuseum is the National Museum of the Netherlands showcasing the art and history of the Netherlands and Amsterdam.  It is located on the Museumplein along with the beautiful Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum and the Concert Hall, the Concertgebouw.

https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/general-information

Promptly at 10am on Tuesday, I presented myself to the Research Library, having an appointment with a Researcher of the Rijksmuseum Archives to view original prints of my ancestor, Jan van Brakel, which they hold in the archives and can also be seen online.  I was thrilled to see the original prints in person as the details are much more visible to the eye in person.  He was involved with several battles, the most known is the Battle of Chatham, or Raid on the Medway during the Second Anglo-Dutch War in June 1667.  Captain Jan van Brakel in the ship Vrede (“Peace”) followed by two other men-of-war, sailed as close to the fort as possible to engage it with cannon fire.  As a result of this battle, the Dutch Navy captured the three-decked, 100‑gun Royal Charles, the gilded flagship of the Duke of Albemarle, taking it to the Netherlands, and winning this Battle.

 

During my visit viewing most of the Rijksmuseum paintings and exhibits, I fell onto 3 favorite paintings: The Windmill, the van Steen painting, and the winter landscape.

The Windmill painting for obvious reasons was a favorite.

The van Steen painting is included as my Mother has a copy of this painting in her house, having engaged a painter to paint the copy while living in Brussels, Belgium.

The winter landscape is a favorite landscape style, similar to Jan Brueghel the Elder and the Younger, Flemish painters.