Amsterdam 2018, Part Four: An Artsy Afternoon

After a morning in Zaanse Schans, I arrived back in Amsterdam in the early afternoon, and I was ready to visit the famous Rijksmuseum. Home to hundreds of Dutch Masters and one very popular sign (out in front), it's a must-see in Amsterdam (and free on the I Amsterdam).

M is for Meg!

Here's the deal. I love art museums, but I'm not the biggest-ever fan of medieval art. I was at the Rijksmuseum to see a few things, but not to spend hours and hours walking around (plus, my feet hurt from all the walking that morning). So I hurried through the lowest floor and quickly found my way to the most famous painting in the place...

..."The Night Watch," by one Rembrandt. It is widely regarded as his masterpiece.

There were some Delft items on display, including a non-playable violin.

Near the Rijksmuseum was another, much smaller, art museum that I had seen advertised all over the city since my arrival on Sunday. I new I had to go--the Moco Museum was having a display on the graffti artist Bansky, and the Pop Art master Roy Lichtenstein.

Whatever your thoughts on graffiti (I abhor the kind in which people leave incomprehensible scribbles on street signs or buildings, and do nothing to improve the place), you can't deny that Banksy is brilliant--if only because he as managed to keep his identity a secret for so long. But his social commentary is often so subtle that you can't help but smile when you see it.

Banksy of England

Children on a mound of weapons.

He doesn't limit himself to graffiti, either. 

I was also excited to see some of Lichtenstein's work--I teach a small unit on Pop Art in my 6th grade art class, and we feature Lichtenstein.

The museum also has a small garden with some interesting bits and bobs.

One of my favorite pictures from the trip, even though it was
cloudy.

After all of this wandering, I was ready to find some dinner, and head back to the hotel.  I settled on a pub-like place that was right across the street from my hotel, and ordered a hamburger. I hadn't eaten enough through the day and was famished.

And wine, of course.

To my surprise, the burger had a fried egg on it, and apparently
this is quite normal in the Netherlands. It was tasty, just
unexpected. 

 That night, in my hotel, I set up an appointment for opening the next day at the van Gogh Museum--one that I knew would be incredible for this Impressionist and post-Impressionist fan. Wednesday would end up being a very long, busy day.