Marten et Oopjen : jeunes, riches, et célèbres

Marten Soolmans in 1634, a year after
his marriage to Oopjen Coppit

They were young, famous, rich. They had their portrails made by a painter who was 'hot' in those days: Rembrandt van Rijn - himself young, famous and well to do. And just married (Marten and Oopjen celebrated their first anniversary - and waited for their first child to be born). For 400 years, they were part of private collections. Now they have been bought by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Louvre in Paris. Together. And so Marten and Oopjen will travel to and fro every so often (not too often, though...). But for now... they are home, in Amsterdam, where they came from. And until October 2016, they will be on show in the Rijksmuseum, next to the Night Watch, Rembrandt's next assignment... 

So go and admire them while you can (and if possible, today Saturday 2 July, when the museum will be free)! Admire their lace, their silk, their fashionable clothes, their jewelry - all so well rendered by Rembrandt, who painted them like princes... the 17th century jet set of Amsterdam... 

Read my entire blog (in French):
Marten et Oopjen : jeunes, riches, et célèbres: Le monde observé de mon coin nordique

Oopjen Coppit in 1634, a year after her marriage to Marten Soolmans.

Catherine la grandissime

Vigilius Eriksen:Portrait de Catherine II devant un miroir, c. 1763© State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

She was really the greatest - much greater than her predecessor, Empress Elisabeth, who nevertheless was the daughter of the greatest of them all, Tsar Peter. Het was Catherine's model, her reference, her cultfigure. She had a grand equestrian statue of Peter made near the entrance of the Palace. The inscription, in all its (im)modesty, said, 'To Peter - From Catherine'. She favoured the arts and science, she corresponded with - and, later, talked to - people like Voltaire and Diderot. But although enlightened, she also remained a despot. She was popular with the Russian people, but she could be cruel and repressive. She had twelve lovers, but she let it be known that, had she had a good husband, she'd be a faithful wife (and she wouldn't have her husband killed...). She made Russia great (again) and her huge art collection formed the beginning of what would become the Hermitage Museum. And she inspired many film directors...

Now she is the centre of a great exhibition in the Hermitage Amsterdam.

Read my full blog (in French) here.