AWC Going Dutch March 2019

Credit: Sotheby’s
The Dutch Daily
by Eileen Harloff
Rembrandt
The Netherlands Tourist Bureau has designated
2019 the Year of Rembrandt and
the Golden Age. This marks the 350th anniversary
of the death of one of the country’s—and
the world’s—most famous artists.
There will be events in many places,
including The Hague, Leiden, Leeuwarden,
and Amsterdam. The year was officially
opened by Princess Beatrix on January 31 at
the Mauritshuis, with the opening of the museum’s
Rembrandt collection. This collection
was started by one of its first directors,
Abraham Bredius, in the late 19th century.
Over the years, some paintings which were
said to have been painted by Rembrandt
have turned up, only to be proven, after
careful study, not to be from his hand. Some
of these are owned by the museum and are
on display with the authentic collection.
In Amsterdam, the Rijksmuseum has all its
Rembrandt paintings on display, along with
some 50 drawings and 520 prints. They
have been arranged thematically rather than
in the usual chronological fashion. The only
missing painting will be The Night Watch; it
will remain in its usual location, where it is
to be restored—an undertaking that will be
open to the public.
It is interesting to note that the Mauritshuis
recently purchased a painting in the US.
entitled The Preaching of John the Baptist,
by Pieter Lastman (1583 – 1633), who was
considered to have been one of Rembrandt’s
most important teachers. Although their relationship
was short-lived, Lastman is said
to have had a major influence on the artist’s
development. The painting is also important
because it depicts a story out of the Bible,
and was seen as one of the highest accomplishments
of a painter at that time.
The Times They Are A’ Changing,
Alas
After months of uncertainty and unrest, the
final answer has come: Bronovo Hospital
will be closing. Not all at once, but for the
near future no major disorders will be attended
to there. Not even the fact that the
three princesses were born there could
change this decision based on finance, staffing
and the need for updating premises and
investing in medical innovations.
The hospital will
address only minor health
issues and will be open only
on weekdays until 6 p.m.
There will be no emergency
personnel on hand; complex
and acute operations will be
carried out at Westeinde
Hospital, and planned operations
will gradually
be moved to the recently
modernized Antoniushove
Hospital in Leidschendam.
My sympathy goes out to
the residents of the Bronovo
neighborhood. Some years
ago, my neighborhood Red
Cross hospital suffered the
same fate. It was no longer
Credit: Theirry Schut Credit: HMC Bronovo
the local place to rush off to for emergency
treatment, or to have an operation or blood
tests. We have gotten used to other facilities
by now, but when we drive by it, we remember
how convenient it was in the good old
days.
Some Like Them Blue and Pink
Steef van Adrichem is the owner of a nursery
in Wateringen, in the Westland. Thirtyfive
years ago he was in Thailand, where
he saw orchids growing on the top of trees.
They were blue and pink and were called
Vandas. He immediately fell in love with
them and decided to import and grow them
in his nursery. Over the years they have become
popular with flower arrangers and can
be seen in many of the most luxurious hotels
in the world, from Paris to Dubai and
Qatar. Emirates Airline places a Vanda at
every first-class seat as a welcome gesture.
It was no surprise when, last December,
Van Adrichem received a special order for
120,000 Vandas, for the wedding of the
daughter of the richest man in India. After
much sweat and tears, the order was on its
way to India within a week’s time. Now the
grower is waiting for photos of the wedding,
to see how the flowers were displayed at the
ceremony and after party.
In Short
• It appears that Dutch Brussels sprouts
are a hit abroad, with most being exported
to Germany, the U.S., the U.K.
and Italy. Their export value is in the
millions. In the Netherlands sprouts
nearly top the cultivation charts; they
are second only to the winter carrot.
• Hotel Des Indes in The Hague has been
added to the list of the 400 most exclusive
hotels in the world. All the hotels
listed are renowned for their high service
level and special location.
• In case you may have been wondering:
Kruidvat is the largest store chain in the
Netherlands, topping the list with 956
shops. Second is Albert Heijn with 852
locations, followed by Gall and Gall
with 593 stores.
• Good news! Film theaters, student
unions/societies, and fitness centers are
now required to decrease the volume
of their music, to protect their visitors’
hearing. All these groups have signed an
agreement to keep the sound down, as
damage to one’s ears cannot be reversed.
Research by the Academic Medical
Center in Amsterdam has shown that
a quarter of young people between the
ages of 12 and 25 have hearing loss. The
Hearing Foundation estimates that one
million people in the Netherlands have
buzzing in the ears which may well be
caused by loud noises.
• In the Province of Gelderland an intensive
search is under way to discover
if wolves have come there to live.
Simultaneously, a DNA investigation
is being carried out to determine if the
same wolves are seen repeatedly wandering
around the territory, or if there
are others as well. The aim is to help
people know how to deal with them,
with emphasis on the possible damage
they could cause. If the wolves are to
settle in the province, this will have
consequences for businesses and people.
Based on the research results, the
province will discuss measures to be
taken and are willing to help finance actions
to avoid damages.
40 GOING DUTCH
MARCH 2019 41