While still waiting for the Rijksmuseum to be 100% finished and all renovation work history (which will happen in 2013) the museum is still going strong and an interesting exhibition titled The lure of falconry can be seen in the Philips wing from August 157 till November 19th in 2012. This exhibition has been set on display due to the fact that UNESCO, part of the United Nations, recently recognised the traditional art of falconry as intangible cultural heritage not long ago.
More about the exhibition (source)
In medieval Europe, falconry was an activity reserved for royalty and nobility and came to be a form of entertainment intertwined with a genteel, courtly lifestyle. In European courts a remarkably large number of falconers, who trained and cared for the birds, were from the Netherlands. For centuries, the village of Valkenswaard, located in the Kempen region of the province of Noord-Brabant, and situated along the migration route of the peregrine falcon, was a key supplier of birds and falconers. In the prints, the falconers are often depicted as courtly lovers, noble saints or vain libertines. The prints will be displayed among several historical artefacts relating to falconry from the private collections of falconers.
The lure of falconry in Rijksmuseum
August 7th – November 19th
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
There are lots of other museums in Amsterdam to visit during your stay, and do not miss out on all the other cool attractions and nice restaurants while in town. If you have some time of, we can also warmly recommend a day trip to for example Brussels.
