The Henson Journals
Fri 25 August 1911
Volume 17, Page 281
[281]
Friday, August 25th, 1911. Amsterdam.
The day broke cloudily, & there were frequent showers during the morning. In the afternoon the weather cleared, and at eventide it was again fine. We began our day's sight–seeing by walking through narrow streets over–hung by tall houses to the Oude Kerk, a mutilated 15th century church with some fine painted windows, some naval monuments, & carved miserere stalls horribly painted & varnished. Then we went on to the Ryks Museum, & after doing our duty again to the great Rembrandt, spent the rest of the morning in completing our inspection of the picture gallery. We were especially interested in the pictures of naval engagements of the 17th century, in which the English mostly figure as the defeated side, and in the portraits of Admirals, Stadtholders, & other historical persons. [281] Several wonderful pictures by Rembrandt, a host of good ones by the lesser folk, were glanced at with delight: but our serious concern was with the ships & the portraits.
After lunch we made an unsuccessful attempt to see the Six Gallery, & then visited a diamond factory, & were shown the processes by which the rough diamond is prepared for the market. After this we walked through the Jewish Quarter, and gazed with wonder & amusement on the 'Rag Fair' which was in full progress on the Sabbath eve. There are many Jews in Amsterdam – about 70,000. They have 10 synagogues, two of them ancient. A crowd of Jews impresses one oddly. Clothed as Europeans, they are still Asiaticks, as alien as Chinese or Negroes.
Then we called at Cook's Office, where I found a letter from Beeching. Next we had tea, & wound up our day's sightseeing with a visit to the Nieuwe Kerk, a splendid late Gothick church covering a Calvinistic encampment. Here, on the site of the high Altar, is a fine monument to Admiral De Ruyter. The carved wooden pulpit is magnificent. There are some scraps of old painted glass lingering in the windows, & one fine modern window set up to commemorate the inauguration of the present Queen. Then we returned to the Hotel, to dine, pack, & wind up a very agreeable visit to Amsterdam.