Rijksmuseum Private Tour

Private Rijksmuseum tour

The Dutch Masters of the Golden Age

Rijksmuseum Private Tour

Private tour in the Rijksmuseum

Rijksmuseum Private Tour

Startingpoint

We meet inside the museum, in front of the museum shop
Duration | Distance

2 hours | Elevators available
Highlights

- The Dutch Masters of the Golden Age
- The Dutch Revolt against Spain
- Rembrandt’s Night Watch
- The Museum Library
Price

Available from €80,- p.p. (minimum 2 persons - including museum ticket)

Schedule your
private Rijksmuseum tour

Startingpoint

We meet inside the museum, in front of the museum shop.
Duration | Distance

2 hours | Elevators available
Highlights

- The Dutch Masters of the Golden Age
- The Dutch Revolt against Spain
- Rembrandt’s Night Watch
- The Museum Library
Price

Available from €80,- p.p. (minimum 2 persons - including museum tickets)

Book your
private Rijksmuseum tour

Caravaggio – Bernini
Baroque in Rome

Special tour until June 7 2020:

We at Historical Amsterdam Tours would like to invite you to join us on a visit to the fascinating Caravaggio – Bernini, Baroque in Rome exhibition. On this exhibition you can see works by the greatest artists of the Italian Baroque. Besides several paintings by Caravaggio and a number of Bernini sculptures, there are works by renowned artists such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Nicolas Poussin, Hendrick ter Brugghen Giuliano Finelli and Pietro da Cortona.

Italian Baroque

The Italian Baroque was one of the greatest periods in the history of European art. One last supernova of artistic creativity and craftsmanship, before Italian art began its unstoppable decline into mediocrity. For hundreds of years the Italian peninsula had been the epicenter of artistic development, and it’s not an exaggeration to state that Caravaggio and Bernini produced art that could rival anything that the greatest Renaissance masters had produced.

Counter-Reformation

It’s at least remarkable that the unbridled creativity of the Italian Baroque was the result of a propaganda campaign. In the 16th century the Roman Catholic church was weakened by internal struggles, decadence, and the rise of Protestantism. The Church was desperate to regain its momentum and during the council of Trent a number of measures were put forward that had to reinvigorate the Catholic world. It was decided that an emphasis on a deep, personal faith, the veneration of saints, and a simple, honest and unequivocal message, would be the most effective methods of counteracting the ideas of Protestantism, as well as the decadence that had corrupted Catholicism to its core. The values of this so-called Counter-Reformation had to be expressed in art.

Caravaggio

Caravaggio was the first artist who was able to convey these principles into painting. By applying the ideas of the Counter-Reformation to the letter, he created the most exciting new art the world had seen since the High Renaissance. Within a few years he was the most influential painter in the world. At the exhibition in the Rijksmuseum you can clearly see to what extent his work influenced other painters.

Bernini

What Caravaggio had done in painting, Bernini did in sculpting. He created sculptures that were more lifelike and which contained more emotion than anything that had been done before in marble. The Rijksmuseum has managed to acquire a number of works by he greatest sculptors that were influenced by Bernini, for this exhibition.

So, this is really quite a special exhibition, which you should really see if you are currently in Amsterdam. And in order to appreciate it even more, you can rely on the expertise of one our guides. Book this Rijksmuseum add-on here.

Private tour in the Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is by far the largest museum in The Netherlands. Its collection is a must see for every art-lover who visits Amsterdam. It is also the best place to follow the rise, fall and legacy of the Dutch Republic in the 17th century. On our private tour in the Rijksmuseum you will get acquainted with the key moments in Dutch history as well as its most important artworks. Immerse yourself into Dutch history and art with one of our private art historians.

The historical collection

In the Rijksmuseum we offer a crash course on the history of the Dutch Republic in the 1600s. See how the mercantile society of the Lowlands took up arms to strive for independence. How this young republic became one of the world’s most influential powerhouses. Meet the key players of the Golden Age, people such as: Prince William of Orange, Admiral Michiel de Ruyter and leading intellectual Johan de Witt.

A Golden Age of art

Get the stories behind Johannes Vermeer’s quiet Milkmaid, Jan Steen’s messy (and quite hilarious) households, Albert Cuyp’s lush landscapes, Rembrandt’s mysterious portraits and Frans Hals’ civic guards. What makes the art from the Dutch Golden Age so particular, so different from other places and eras? The Rijksmuseum is by far the best museum to talk about the Dutch Masters of the Golden Age.

Van Gogh and the Dutch Impressionists

The Rijksmuseum has a strong accent on 17th century art. The late 19th century however, formed a ‘Second Golden Age’. Artists like Vincent van Gogh, George Breitner and Anton Mauve ushered in a whole new era of art. What was their connection with the Dutch Golden Age and the French Impressionists?

Rijksmuseum secrets

‘The Rijks’ is more than a museum. It’s an institute for art and culture. During your Rijksmuseum tour you will learn more about its many other functions and the eventful history of the building itself. Architect Pierre Cuypers created a completely unique cathedral for Dutch art that has been as revered as it has been despised, since the moment it opened its doors in 1885. We will reveal many of the secrets of this enthralling museum during this private tour.

Tour reviews

Exploring the canals of Amsterdam on foot with Tijs as the tour guide was one of the highlights of my first visit to the city. Tijs not only has thorough... read more

EC8531
3/22/2018

My family of 5 adults never has more than a long weekend to explore the cities of Europe and Tijs truly surpassed our expectations, This knowledgable, fun and experienced guide... read more

NJL
8/26/2018

We booked this tour for UCL economics students (18-21 years old) and everyone enjoyed it a lot! Our guides Tijs, Edgar, Maarten and Joyce were very knowledgeable and incredibly kind.... read more

Vendela D
11/10/2017

I was looking for personal tour guides for our trip on Amsterdam. I read about Edmund and Tijs on the web and started an email dialogue to create an itinerary... read more

Bob D
5/10/2018

Maarten was our tour guide. Very punctual, friendly and informative. Booked for my partner who is a finance professional and he loved it. Other positives: well structured and researched; happy... read more

Sightseer778726
1/06/2019