ART OF MUSEUMS: Amsterdam's Rijks Museum With Star Photographer Erwin Olaf

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is both a tourist magnet and the cultural heart of the Netherlands: the museum's works of art display the country's pride in the golden age of its painting. The film shows how the founding of the Rijksmuseum was intended to consolidate the national identity of the Netherlands, and how much the museum continues to shape the country's cultural self-image to this day. The collection of the Rijksmuseum consists almost entirely of Dutch art and creates a very special atmosphere, because instead of heroic and battle paintings, which are otherwise so common, everyday scenes from Dutch life, especially from the 17th century, are exhibited here. Erwin Olaf, one of the most important fashion and art photographers in the Netherlands, guides us through the Rijksmuseum in the film. He talks emotionally about the effect the masterpieces had on him as a viewer, taking viewers to paintings by Jan Vermeer, Jan Asselijn and crowd-pleasers like Rembrandt's "Night Watch." He briefly sums up the museum's importance to the Netherlands: "We have our king and we have the Rijksmuseum. That's our national identity." When the house remained closed for renovation work from 2003 to 2013, it made the importance of the museum clear to citizens once again. The reopening at that time was tantamount to a rebirth. The film looks back at the house's eventful history, watches masterpieces being restored, and lets house staff, celebrities and artists have their say. English art historian Matt Lodder supplements the impressions with background information.