The hands of this man appear to be leaning on the picture frame,  giving it the appearance of a windowsill – a trick that Sittow learned in Bruges from Hans Memling. Michel Sittow, Portrait of a Man, c. 1510

From the 14th to the 18th centuries a game known as colf was played on the streets, fields and frozen lakes of the Low Countries. A painting of the sport by Hendrick Avercamp has been acquired jointly by the Rijksmuseum and the Mauritshuis – and it’s one of Apollo’s acquisitions of the month

Acquisitions of the month: September 2026

A wintry sporting scene acquired jointly by the Rijksmuseum and the Mauritshuis and a rediscovered Velázquez portrait for the Getty are among this month’s highlights

buff.ly

‘De anatomische les van Dr. Nicolaes Tulp’ uit 1632 is een van Rembrandts groepsportretten. Maar Tulp heeft meer gedaan dan het demonstreren van de buigspieren van een geëxecuteerde dief. Hij was namelijk een beroemde arts en burgemeester van Amsterdam.

✨A ruff of fine lace and a string of pearls perfectly frame Catharina Belgica's face. There is a lot to admire in this painting. Check out the jewellery adorned with precious stones and the dress embroidered with gold thread.  Jan Anthonisz van Ravesteyn, Portrait of Catharina Belgica, 1617

Welcome home! 💙💛 Our Girl has returned from Japan. To celebrate, mayor Jan Van Zanen (@burgemeesterjanvanzanen) officially registered her today as the oldest resident of the Hague. A fitting title for someone who has called the city her home for over a hundred years.

Returning from her trip to Japan, 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' is now back in her familiar spot at the Mauritshuis. To celebrate, mayor Jan Van Zanen registered her today as the oldest resident of the Hague. A fitting title for someone who has called the city home for over a hundred years!

These two paintings show a boy and a girl making music. The boy plays the violin, and the girl sings. What makes the paintings even more intriguing is the possibility that Hals painted his own children.  Frans Hals, Boy Playing the Violin, c. 1628 Frans Hals, Girl Singing, c. 1628

👀🫟 Cool collab loading...  Tattoo artist and owner Thomas from @team_trobbies visited the Girl with a Pearl Earring to get inspired for a special project. If you’re planning to visit @museumnachtdenhaag... keep an eye on this one. 🔥 More soon...

💐🐜🦋🐝This flower still-life is actually buzzing with activity! Look at all those insects!  Abraham Mignon, Flowers in a Metal Vase, c. 1670

⏲️We're counting down the days until the 15th of October: This fall, the Mauritshuis will present an extraordinary exhibition in collaboration with the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza (@museothyssen.org) in Madrid. It promises to be a Dutch-Spanish love affair you will never forget!

🙅‍♀️By the light of an oil lamp, a young woman is bowed over her needlework. A man is trying to attract her attention with a handful of coins – he wants to buy her love. But the woman does not respond to his offer, and works on undisturbed.  Judith Leyster, A Young Woman Being Harassed by a Man, 1631

There's a storm brewing! The sea is wild and tempestuous. On the beach fishermen busy themselves with their boats, while others in the distance attempt to save the crew of a sinking ship. From the dune, an elegantly dressed couple watch the scene unfold. Jan Porcellis, Shipwreck off the Coast, 1631

🍂Five putti are playing with grapes, wine, apples and pears. They are the attributes of autumn, the time when the harvest is brought in and the grapes are pressed. Martinus Josephus Geeraerts, Allegory of Autumn, c. 1750

💙This Monday, the Mauritshuis finally opens its doors again!  'Girl with a Pearl Earring' by Johannes Vermeer will return to our museum from October 5. 'Diana and her nymphs' will be on view at the Mauritshuis from October 7.  'View of Delft' remains on view at the Mauritshuis until September 25.

🎒🧢 We all have a favorite jacket or bag, right? Something that brings back memories from adventures you had with them? Street artist BEYOND used these items as the inspiration for his new mural. 📍 Vrederustlaan, The Hague @thehaguestreetart

Who knows what these two might be whispering to each other? 💕  The luxurious fabrics go perfect with the sensual tension between the two figures. And the little foot in the corner warmer comfirms: there are a lotttt of vibes here.🔥 Jacob van Loo, Amorous Couple, c. 1650

Sharktember Day 11: History shark I do love how many history books have Famous Paintings for the cover, and used it as an excuse to repaint a masterpiece as Shark with a Pearl Earring. #sharktember #art #watercolor #sharks

Yay! Have a beautiful day my creative frog sister and sisters.🐸💚😘

The Pearl With the Girl Earring, Olaf Falafel, digital, 2021

~30 min painting study of Johannes Vermeer and also of a photo of my friend's dog. #art

🔬Throughout the years, we've received thousands of versions of the Girl with a Pearl Earring, but never this small! At QuTech in Delft, they've created a version so tiny, it measures about the width of a single hair.

❄️⛸️We're beyond thrilled: A remarkable masterpiece is returning to the Netherlands for good, jointly acquired by the @rijksmuseum.bsky.social  and Mauritshuis: Hendrick Avercamp, Colf Players on the Ice, ca. 1625.

Rijksmuseum en Mauritshuis kopen schilderij van Avercamp met vroegste afbeelding van colfspel historiek.net/colfspelers-...

Rijksmuseum en Mauritshuis kopen schilderij van Avercamp met vroegste afbeelding van colfspel

Rijksmuseum en Mauritshuis verwerven samen Colfspelers op het ijs van Hendrick Avercamp, de vroegst bekende afbeelding van het colfspel.

historiek.net

This weekend monuments all over the country open their doors in honour of the Vriendenloterij Monumentendag. Our monument unfortunately has to remain closed for a few more weeks. Here are some fantastic images of the Mauritshuis throughout the centuries.

In addition to Jan Steen’s large painting of the proverb ‘As the Old Sing, So Pipe the Young’, the Mauritshuis owns this smaller version. It is now part of the exhibition in the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka.  Jan Steen, 'As the Old Sing, so Pipe the Young', c. 1663-1665

'Girl with a Pearl Earring' did not travel to Japan on her own. She brought along some beautiful paintings from our collection, including one other Vermeer. Early on in his career, Vermeer painted a few larger biblical and mythological scenes.  Johannes Vermeer, Diana and her Nymphs, c. 1653-1654