The most famous painting in the Rijksmuseum is Rembrandt's Night Watch (1642). The next four in this ranking are Johannes Vermeer's The Milkmaid (1658), Johannes Vermeer's The Little Street (1657–1658) and Jan Asselijn's The Threatened Swan (1652).
Below, the 9 paintings of the Rijksmuseum that are most widely known — painted from 1608 to 1887 by 6 painters — with their date, medium and size.
The originals
The 9 famous paintings of the Rijksmuseum our artists study first
The painter, the date, the medium and the dimensions of each original, with a note from its page.
- Night Watch by Rembrandt, 1642
- The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer, 1658
- The Little Street by Johannes Vermeer, 1657–1658
- The Threatened Swan by Jan Asselijn, 1652
- Woman Reading a Letter by Johannes Vermeer, 1663
- Self Portrait with a Grey Felt Hat by Vincent van Gogh, 1887
- The Love Letter by Johannes Vermeer, 1669–1670
- Winter Landscape with Skaters by Hendrick Avercamp, 1608
- The Windmill at Wijk bij Duurstede by Jacob van Ruisdael, 1670
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Rembrandt (1606–1669)
1. Night Watch by Rembrandt, 1642
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam1642Oil on canvas363 × 437 cm
Captain Frans Banninck Cocq and Lieutenant van Ruytenburch appear to be stepping forward, leading their company into action. There is an organized chaos at work; the Kloveniers civic militia are not preparing for a grim battle, but rather assembling for what feels like a parade or a drill. The composition avoids the stiff, formal rows typical of many 17th-century portraits. Created in 1642, this work emerged during a period when the Dutch Republic was experiencing significant growth and social change.
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Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675)
2. The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer, 1658
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam1658Oil on canvas46 × 41 cm
This meticulously rendered scene showcases a milkmaid engaged in the simple yet essential task of pouring milk, transforming an everyday activity into a moment of quiet dignity and grace. While seemingly straightforward, the painting subtly incorporates symbolic elements common in Dutch art.
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Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675)
3. The Little Street by Johannes Vermeer, 1657–1658
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam1657–1658Oil on canvas54 × 44 cm
This intimate urban landscape depicts a quiet street scene with narrow cobblestone streets and traditional architecture, offering a glimpse into the serene and orderly world of the Dutch Golden Age. Archival research suggests that the property on the right belonged to his aunt, Ariaentgen Claes van der Minne, adding a personal touch to this historical scene. This work is considered an important piece of Dutch Golden Age art, reflecting the period's emphasis on realism and attention to detail.
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Jan Asselijn (1610–1652)
4. The Threatened Swan by Jan Asselijn, 1652
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam1652Oil on canvas171 × 144 cm
The Threatened Swan is an oil painting on canvas by the artist Jan Asselijn. Completed around 1650, the work captures a mute swan in a moment of fierce defense. In 1800, it was purchased from the collection of Jan Gildemeester Jzn. It hung within the Royal Palace of Amsterdam from 1808 to 1817. By 1817, it found a long-term home in the Trippenhuis, where it remained until 1885. The year 1652 saw the creation of Hunting Company out of Rome.
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Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675)
5. Woman Reading a Letter by Johannes Vermeer, 1663
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam1663Oil on canvas46.6 × 39.1 cm
The artwork presents a serene and intimate portrait of a woman absorbed in reading a letter. The woman's focused expression suggests she is deeply engaged with the contents of the letter, evoking a sense of introspection.
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Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)
6. Self Portrait with a Grey Felt Hat by Vincent van Gogh, 1887
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam1887Oil42 × 34 cm
This powerful work showcases the artist's distinctive Post-Impressionist style, characterized by bold colors, expressive brushwork, and a deep sense of personal intensity. In this piece, he presents himself with a contemplative gaze, wearing a grey felt hat that frames his expressive face. Painted in 1887 during Van Gogh's time in Paris, this self-portrait reflects a period of significant artistic growth. Influenced by the vibrant colors and techniques of the Impressionists and the avant-garde artists he met in Paris, Van Gogh began to develop his unique style.
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Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675)
7. The Love Letter by Johannes Vermeer, 1669–1670
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam1669–1670Oil on canvas38 × 44 cm
By 1696, the work appeared in an inventory of the Wilanów Palace in Warsaw, a silent witness to the shifting tides of European nobility. A violent rupture occurred on September 23, 1971, while the canvas was on loan to the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels. Even the musicality of a room is felt in A Young Woman standing at a Virginal, painted about 1670, or in the structured harmony of The Art of painting, from 1668.
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Hendrick Avercamp (1585–1634)
8. Winter Landscape with Skaters by Hendrick Avercamp, 1608
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam1608Oil on panel77.3 × 131.9 cm
The severe winter of 1607-08, part of the Little Ice Age, provided the direct inspiration for his focus on snow and ice. There is a subtle connection to the compositions of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, particularly his 1565 work, Winter Landscape with Ice skaters and Bird trap. A related work from 1608, titled Winter Landscape with Skaters (detail), offers a closer look at the intricate details found within his larger scenes.
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Jacob van Ruisdael (1628–1682)
9. The Windmill at Wijk bij Duurstede by Jacob van Ruisdael, 1670
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam1670Oil on canvas83 × 101 cm
The artist, born in Haarlem, captured a specific slice of the Dutch landscape through a lens of quiet intensity. Jacob van Ruisdael applied layers of oil to the canvas to build a scene of rural life. It belongs to the tradition of Dutch Golden Age landscape painting, where the elements of water, land, and air meet in a balanced, atmospheric arrangement. The canvas rests within the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The collection in figures
The originals of the Rijksmuseum in our catalogue
4,546 originals of the Rijksmuseum — paintings and works on paper — century by century
The originals in figures
- 9 originals, ranked by fame, 6 painters of the originals, Hendrick Avercamp to Vincent van Gogh.
- Painters with the most originals here: Johannes Vermeer (4), Rembrandt (1), Jan Asselijn (1).
- Hendrick Avercamp's Winter Landscape with Skaters (1608) – Vincent van Gogh's Self Portrait with a Grey Felt Hat (1887).
- Rembrandt's Night Watch (1642), 363 × 437 cm – Vincent van Gogh's Self Portrait with a Grey Felt Hat (1887), 42 × 34 cm.
- 4,597 originals of the Rijksmuseum in our catalogue: 4,546 paintings and works on paper by 1,568 artists, 1300–1951.
The countries the painters of the Rijksmuseum came from
The painters with the most originals at the Rijksmuseum
Two museums
The Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum: two collections of originals
The Rijksmuseum
- Originals in our catalogue
- 4,597
- Painted between
- 1300 – 1951, most from the 17th century
- Most famous originals
- Night Watch, The Milkmaid, The Little Street
- Most originals by
- ジャン＝バティスト・ヴァン・ムール, ヘオルヘ・ヘンドリック・ブレイトネル, ヤコブ・マリス
The Van Gogh Museum
- Originals in our catalogue
- 390
- Painted between
- 1841 – 1919, most from the 19th century
- Most famous originals
- Skull with Burning Cigarette, The Potato Eaters, Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles
- Most originals by
- フィンセント・ファン・ゴッホ, エミール・ベルナール, ポール・ゴーギャン
Questions to the studio
Questions about the originals of the Rijksmuseum
Open a question to read our answer.
What is the most famous painting in the Rijksmuseum?
Rembrandt's Night Watch (1642) is the most famous painting in the Rijksmuseum and No. 1 of this ranking, ahead of Johannes Vermeer's The Milkmaid (1658), Johannes Vermeer's The Little Street (1657–1658) and Jan Asselijn's The Threatened Swan (1652).
What are the five best-known paintings in the Rijksmuseum?
The five best-known paintings of the Rijksmuseum are Night Watch by Rembrandt, The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer, The Little Street by Johannes Vermeer, The Threatened Swan by Jan Asselijn and Woman Reading a Letter by Johannes Vermeer.
How many Johannes Vermeer paintings are in the Rijksmuseum?
Johannes Vermeer has 4 paintings in this ranking — The Milkmaid (No. 2), The Little Street (No. 3), Woman Reading a Letter (No. 5) and The Love Letter (No. 7) — and 22 records in our catalogue of the Rijksmuseum.
How many Rembrandt paintings are in the Rijksmuseum?
Rembrandt has 1 paintings in this ranking — Night Watch (No. 1) — and 39 records in our catalogue of the Rijksmuseum.
How many Jan Asselijn paintings are in the Rijksmuseum?
Jan Asselijn has 1 paintings in this ranking — The Threatened Swan (No. 4) — and 11 records in our catalogue of the Rijksmuseum.
In which city is the Rijksmuseum?
In Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Rijksmuseum holds 4,597 works of our catalogue by 1,568 artists (1300–1951), among them the 9 paintings ranked here.
The Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum: which has the better paintings?
They cover different centuries. The 4,546 paintings of The Rijksmuseum in our catalogue are dated 1300 to 1951, most of them from the 17th century; the 389 of the Van Gogh Museum are dated 1841 to 1919. The best-known paintings of the Van Gogh Museum are Skull with Burning Cigarette, The Potato Eaters and Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles.
Which three works is the Rijksmuseum most famous for?
the The Night Watch, the The Milkmaid and the The Little Street are the three works everyone comes to the Rijksmuseum for; the museum's record also names the Delftware ceramics. Of the three, the The Milkmaid is a painting of this ranking (No. 2).
What is the oldest painting in the Rijksmuseum on this list?
The earliest is Hendrick Avercamp's Winter Landscape with Skaters (1608) (1608); the latest, Vincent van Gogh's Self Portrait with a Grey Felt Hat (1887) (1887).
What is the largest painting in the Rijksmuseum on this list?
Rembrandt's Night Watch (1642), 363 × 437 cm. The smallest is Vincent van Gogh's Self Portrait with a Grey Felt Hat (1887), 42 × 34 cm.
How is this ranking made?
The paintings of the Rijksmuseum in our catalogue are ranked by how widely each one is known: the number of Wikipedia language editions with an article on it (Wikidata sitelinks), its place in our catalogue's manual ranking and the visits its page receives. The same painting catalogued several times counts once; details, copies and studies are left out.
The house of the originals
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam: history and collections of the originals
The Rijksmuseum (Het Rijks, Nationale Kunst-Galerij, Rijksmusea) — museum — in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its highlights: The Night Watch, The Milkmaid, The Little Street, Delftware ceramics. Our catalogue lists 4,546 of its paintings and works on paper, by 1,568 artists, dated 1300 to 1951.
The History and Origins of Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands. Its origins are tied to the tumultuous years following the French Revolution. The institution was founded in the Hague on 19 November 1798. This period of political change shaped the early development of the collection. By 1808, the museum moved to Amsterdam. The collection spans 800 years of Dutch history. It preserves the evolution of the nation through centuries of artistic and cultural shifts. The museum's presence in Amsterdam has solidified its role as a central repository for the country's historical narrative. The institution maintains a vast assembly of objects that reflect the development of the Netherlands from the Middle Ages to the present day.
The Architecture of the Main Building
The current main building, which first opened in 1885, is the work of architect Pierre Cuypers. His design integrates elements of both Gothic and Renaissance styles. The structure is a designated Rijksmonument, identified by monument number 5680. The scale and detail of the masonry were intended to inspire awe and reverence in those entering the space. The architecture reflects a deliberate use of historical forms to create a sense of permanence. Cuypers utilized a combination of Gothic and Renaissance motifs to define the building's character. The design prioritizes a sense of grandeur through its heavy, monumental presence.
The Grand Collection of Dutch Art
The collection spans a period from 1200 to 2000. It contains over one million objects, with 8,000 items of art and history currently on display. These works represent the development of Dutch identity through centuries of visual culture. The holdings include a small Asian collection alongside the primary European works. The museum houses the works of several significant figures, including Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh. These artists are central to the narrative of the institution. The selection of objects reflects the evolution of technique and subject matter across the centuries. the Milkmaid, 1658 - Johannes Vermeer the Night Watch, 1642 - Rembrandt van Rijn the Little Street, 1657 - Johannes Vermeer
The Rijksprentenkabinet Collection
Nestled within the Rijksmuseum is the Rijksprentenkabinet, the Royal Collection of Prints and Drawings. This intimate annex provides a different perspective on the creative process. While the main galleries house finished paintings, this collection contains the preparatory sketches and experimental prints that precede them. It is here that the genesis of many significant works becomes visible through the artist's initial marks on paper. The holdings include works by Rembrandt van Rijn and Frans Hals. These drawings and prints reveal the technical development and the immediate thoughts of the artists. By observing these studies, one can trace the evolution of a composition from a preliminary idea to a completed canvas. The collection offers a direct look at the hand and mind of the Dutch masters.
Research and the Cuypers Library
The Rijksmuseum Research Library, also known as the Cuypers Library, functions as the largest and oldest public art history research library in the Netherlands. It is housed within the main building at Museumstraat 1, Amsterdam. The space was designed by Pierre Cuypers and opened in 1885. Following a renovation that began in 2004, the library was transformed into a classical reading room. The collection is extensive and organized to support rigorous academic study. It contains over 400,000 monographs and 3,400 periodicals. Additionally, the library holds 90,000 art sales catalogues. These resources provide the necessary documentation for the study of Dutch art history and the provenance of various works. The library is open to the public from Monday to Saturday, between 10 AM and 5 PM.
Visiting the Museum and Its Gardens
The Rijksmuseum is located at Museumstraat 1, Amsterdam. The institution is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Adult tickets are priced at €25. These gardens are part of the museum grounds and offer a quiet setting adjacent to the main building. Visitors often use these outdoor spaces to transition between the various historical periods housed within the walls. The museum also provides several amenities for those spending the day on the Museumplein. A café is available for refreshments, and the museum shop offers books and various decorative items. For those seeking a guided experience, the museum offers a specific tour focused on its most significant highlights.
5 facts about the home of the originals
- Who was the architect of the Rijksmuseum building?Pierre Cuypers
- In which city is the Rijksmuseum located?Amsterdam
- Which artist is associated with the masterpiece 'The Milkmaid'?Johannes Vermeer
- What is the name of the museum's specialized collection of prints and drawings?Rijksprentenkabinet
- In what year was the Rijksmuseum founded?1798
The Rijksmuseum: every original we catalogueThe museums of Amsterdam
To read
Three articles on the originals and their painters
The painter of the first original
Masterpieces of Light: The Top 25 Artworks by Rembrandt van Rijn
4 of the 9 originals are by Johannes Vermeer.
The other great museum in Amsterdam
Masterpieces of a Genius: Top 25 Must-See Artworks at the Van Gogh Museum
390 originals in our catalogue.
The painter with the most originals here
Masterpieces of Light: The 25 Greatest Artworks by Johannes Vermeer
4 of the 9 originals are by Johannes Vermeer.
How the originals are ranked
The originals of the Rijksmuseum in our catalogue are ranked by fame: the Wikipedia language editions that describe the painting, our studio's ranking and the visits to its page on OriginalUniqueArt.com. One entry per original, counted in our catalogue and not in the museum's inventory, without details, copies, studies, sculptures or works on paper; every date, dimension and medium is the catalogue's, and the notes are drawn from the painting's description.
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