Hallo Amsterdam!
I arrived in the land of bicycles and beers on Tuesday not knowing a think about the city, and left with a group of friends forged through canal water and late nights. Coming from Paris the city felt completely devoid of all tourists and all the nuisances that accompany them. Combined with the local cuisine being pancakes and beer, the use of bicycles, and the boats, Amsterdam was shaping up to be one of my favorite cities. Air there was the cleanest I had ever breathed in a major city, due to the reduced presence of cars and the canals bringing in fresh air from the ocean. Dutch as a language is also very similar to English; with my background in English and Latin I was almost able to understand it. The art there was incredible; Rijksmuseum is a national treasure for Holland. Although not as massive as the Louvre or as exclusive as Stådel, Rijksmuseum has a unique flavor of its own, proudly showcasing the work of both generations of Dutch artists and artists from around the world. It held a wide variety of mediums, always keeping the viewer on their toes, peeking around the corner to see what the next room held. The Van Gogh museum was another experience; different from any other museum I had been to yet in that it was the first museum to fully dedicate itself to one artist. It carried accompanying masterpieces however Van Gogh was the center of everything. The story of Van Gogh was particularly interesting as the museum chronicled the ups and downs of his life (unfortunately it consisted mostly of downs) with his art. This provided each work with a context that I had never seen before in an art setting, dramatically enhancing the experience. Here are my pieces of Art that I reflected on:
“The Night Watch” – Rembrandt – Rijksmuseum
So the nights watch is a depiction of a group of civilian soldiers gathered together for a similar purpose of protecting the city at night. When in Amsterdam I found a group of friends that were gathered together for a similar purpose as well, albeit touring around the city instead of protecting it. Over the course of my travels and often my studies it can get a little lonely, and it is really grounding and quite fun for me to enjoy the company of a group for a bit. We were all staying in the same hostel room, and quickly forged a group friendship that made it quite easy to unwind and feel at home. This painting really brought a sense of respite for me, helping me unwind.
“The Little Street” – Vermeer – Rijksmuseum
The Little Street was the opposite of the Nights Watch in that it was just a simple landscape. The colors are bright but relaxed, the lines clear but not sharp, and it was divided into quarters very evenly. This painting also brought about a sense of relaxation and peace for me, and even though it is devoid of meaningful human subjects it still conveys the underrated emotion of serenity. I often felt this when walking through Amsterdam, and this paining of Amsterdam really embodies its subject.
“Self portrait” – Van Gogh – Van Gogh Museum
So Van Gogh was one of the most talented artists to ever walk earth. His volume of masterpieces concretes that claim as undisputable. However he also suffered from debilitating mental illness that would ultimately claim his life. He is known for expressing his emotions (often that of despair) in his work, and it is very evident in his self-portraits. He painted dozens of these, all of himself, for either practice or sale. These self-portraits are masterpieces, and made very evident of how depressed he was feeling. They struck home for me as I can sometimes have a rollercoaster of emotions going from very happy to very sad. Over time I have learned to control these swings, and I think I have been quite successful in it. When looking into these paintings I see my “old self” and what I could have become if I were to allow myself to be sad constantly. It becomes hard to view these over and over again as I empathize deeply with him, but I must remember that these paintings serve as a lesson for me to make sure I am always trying to be happy.
Note* I am by no means saying that just thinking to be happy is a solution for everyone. Depression is a real medical condition that can often require a doctor to treat you. If you are feeling depressed you’re not alone: call a hotline, talk to a friend, see your doctor, do whatever you need to do to get the appropriate help. Remember there is no shame in depression, the first step to getting better is admitting that it is there.
But off that dreary talk, now I am going to swing north for a bit to Oslo and pay Munch and Co. a visit. Arctic Circle bound!