Amsterdam's history is recorded in its extraordinarily rich artistic heritage. Wealthy citizens, civic guards and governors of the city's institutions commissio... » 

Amsterdam's history is recorded in its extraordinarily rich artistic heritage. Wealthy citizens, civic guards and governors of the city's institutions commissioned leading artists to paint their portraits; surgeons posed for artists to paint their portraits; surgeons posed for artists in depictions of anatomy lessons. The city's principal locations were captured in paint by the great Dutch masters.

Superb paintings were assembled in magnificent houses along the canals and by numerous civic institutions. Later, Amsterdam itself became one of the biggest collectors of art. Some of its citizens left theire entire collections to the city.

Amsterdam's paintings include around a thousand works dating from before 1800, with numerous examples form the oeuvres of celebrated artists such as Rembrandt, De Hooch, van der Helst, Flinck, Backer, Bol and Ruisdael. Many of these works are now at the Amsterdam Historical Museum. «