h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Because of my continuing search in my family-tree/ancestors, which has its roots in Haarlem (near Amsterdam) I decided to visit three musea that are relevant for me.

It appeared to be "museum-weekend", so there were all kinds of special activities. I wasn't prepared for it, because I had not read about it.


One of my ancestors was administrator in 1798 of the army of Haarlem (which was a city-state these days) and the painter Frans Hals made many group-portrets of these members of the rifle in a long period of time, although my ancestor has never been painted by Frans Hals.

I entered the biggest room of the Frans Hals museum and suddenly there comes a lady to me and asks me, if I want to be dressed up like one of these army men and be photographed in front of that huge painting of these members of the rifle.

I didn't need to think about such a request - although very kitschy -
because I lóve dressing up .
So now I suddenly "became" one of these ancient proud members of the rifle, who had more interest in being painted than doing their job properly.
(Rembrandt made his "nachtwacht" about an Amsterdam rifle group)
Over ten days that picture (with many others) will be shown at the website of the museum.

There was also a "flowerwalk" in the Frans Hals museum, because Haarlem was in 17th century thé centre of tulip bulbs which became a real tulip-mania (selling óne tulip-bulb for a complete house) and there are created a lot of still-life flower paintings these days in and around Haarlem.
One of these painters was a female; Judith Leyster, Haarlem 1609 -
1660 who became a real master painter (together with another woman master painter from Haarlem) and that was very unique in 17th century Europe (not more then 10 female master painters in the whole of Europe! "Male society" ).

A selfportret of Judith hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington and another painting by her of a young Haarlem flute player hangs in the National Museum Stockholm.

Judith Leyster painted one page in a so called "Tulip Book".
In the 17th century some flower books (florilegia) were compiled;
collections of pictures of flowers. Growers used them as catalogues for potential buyers.
This tulipbook contains óne painting by Judith Leyster, which is why the whole book is named after her (The tulip book of Judith Leyster. Although twó pictures have her name on it, it appears that just óne of them is really from the skilled hands of Judith.
The book has a total of 49 pictures, each depicting one or two tulips and giving their names.

For this special weekend the book was to bee seen, exactly at the page that Judith painted.
It was thrilled.

There is also for sale around the world the Judith Leyster tulip-bulb,
for planting in your garden.

http://www.franshalsmuseum.nl/


And after this I visited the oldest museum of Holland (1784); The Teylers Museum. http://www.teylersmuseum.nl/index.html
Entering the museum, I got the feeling of entering the 18th century.
Dark wooden floors and walls, beautiful windows of white glass in the ceilings, etc. etc.

But I was in a hurry to also see a third museum.
Just to get a first impression of the tree in total.
Later on I'll return many times.



On my way back I bought some tulips and threw them one by one in a canal in Haarlem.
Why?
I had discovered an add in the Haarlem newspaper from 1798 (!!) which contains a call for the citizens to look for a man, 47 years old, etc. etc. His clothes are described, his way of walking, his hair, his face, his hour of leaving home (18.00 Okt 29) and that he had not returned home.
Later on I discovered for sure, that this man was óne of my ancesters and was found six weeks later in the canal by friends and family.
He was drowned.

Just before I reach my car to leave Haarlem, I suddenly see at my leftside a dummy in a shop window, which appeared to be a shop for theatre-clothing.
The dummy was álmost exactly dressed as the description in the advertisement in 1798! Only the hat was missing.

Now I was standing there, eye in eye with a "replica" of my drowned ancestor, Rochus Sebil.(Haarlem 1751 - 1798

Farewell, dear Rochus.

As I read my own Journal Entry a day later, I discover a lot of mistakes in my use of the English language.

Like "add" in a newspaper = ad in a newspaper,
or
"It was thrilled" = I was thrilled.


Cause?
Tired at the end of the day.
But this may happen even móre often in the time to come, because I am not writing any longer at a Dutch website and ónly write here.
To spare my physical condition.
And H2G2 is the most important for me.

So it is written instantly,in the heat of the hour, despite the condition of the hour.

I hope the reader will be able to ignore the mistakes, or blurry sentences.


Alfredo

Oh I wouldn't worry about mistakes - you always share such interesting stories