Amsterdam....Part 2...

Title: Man and Woman at a spinning wheel.

Artist: Pieter Pieterz. (Antwerp 1540 - Amsterdam 1603)

Dating: 1560 - 1570

Immediately after last nights post a little discussion appeared here and on Facebook. It is always nice to get response on my writing....

The topic is about the -what I thought was- a drop-spindle on the Medieval picture. 
Is it the bobbin from the spinning-wheel on the left of the painting..or is it a drop-spindle??
It definitely doesn't look like my Turkish Ashford spindle....that is for sure..

Here are some interesting points of view..

Spinning Hero Michael wrote:

Now, I thought I'd try to answer your spinning question. I think that we're looking at in the picture is a bobbin, not a drop spindle. If you look to the left, there appears to be a spinning wheel, so that makes me think that what she is holding in her left hand is a filled bobbin from that wheel. 

Thomas  replied on my blog: 

I think she's holding the bobbin from the wheel, not a spindle. The part on the right could be where the drivebelt/string goes, the point being an axle.
But just guesstimating from the looks of it.

Knitting friend Marjoleine asked some Spinning specialists and Sandi Luck answered: 

 It is a Russian Spindle....and..There is a Wheel to her right though...Yeah, but that part isn't from the wheel..

And Dutch Spinning Queen Ammerins agreed with the idea that it is a Russian spindle..

And I haven't a clue...just thinking ..how would a Russian Drop Spindle arrive in Holland at that time?? Perhaps more answers will come after this post..

But..back to my trip in Amsterdam..
After walking around in my favourite area, the so called: "9 Straatjes" it was time again for tea and cake (yes, my 2nd piece, that is called: indulge yourself!!) at my "all time favorite" tea-shop "Pompadour". We used to go there almost every time we where in Amsterdam. I even drove Bram (when his health was going down) to Amsterdam only for tea and cake there, and afterwards we drove back. 2,5 hours driving for tea and cake..you can say that is Real Love..for Him and for the Cakes of-course..

There is a big choice of cakes and artisanal chocolates, but my Top choice is the "double boiled cream lemon cake..Luckily they had that one in the counter...Smooth, tangy and Pure Heaven, together with a cup of excellent Mint tea.

While eating it I had to think of the portrait (one of my favorites too) of the rather "round young man" named:  
Gerard Andriesz Bicker in the Rijksmuseum. 

I took some self portraits with my new I-Phone..(yes, had to take another phone after a little accident at home, but that is another story..) and changed it a little with Instagram..and No.. the glasses are only for reading..but I really need them

Ofcourse I had a look at the shop from COS, got angry that A&F (very lousy garments!!)are now in the building where Metz used to be..a quick look at Agnés B and the American Bookstore.. Waterstones..
But didn't buy anything..I am a good "Non-Buying Anything Shopper" in a way..

At 4 o'clock there was the opening of the photograpy exhibition in the newly restored "Huis Marseille"at the Keizersgracht. A stunning building and you can read all information about the building itself HERE. I didn't took pictures there....

Unfortunately I didn't meet up with my former student Maurice Scheltens, but we have mail-contact now and we are friends on Facebook. I am sure we will  meet up one day..
The exhbition is stunning and next to the work from Scheltens & Abbenes (who did the photo's for the catalog of the Balenciaga Exhibition at the Museum De La Mode in Paris..Examples HERE) I was moved by the work from Eddo Hartmann. A very moving and personal story and you can read all about it HERE.

After that there as the opening of the exhibition: "What remains" by Hinke Schreuders at De Wetering Gallerie .

I have been following her work for many years and would love to have a piece..perhaps one day. BTW..Hinke is also on Ravelry and is a knitter and spinner too..Her new work is after a darning sampler she got from 1888, which was made by the than 16 year old  girl named Aaltje van Malenstein who at that time lived in an orphanage in Amsterdam. (more on the topic of darning-samplers in a blogpost I wrote in March). It must have been a hard job for that young girl, but there also must have been excitement working on it, and to see the end result. I always have to think of those girls when I come across those samplers. There is a often a tragic life behind it..you don't live in an orphanage if nothing had happened to your parents.

The colors are still very bright, but there is damage too in the original sampler.

Hinke made new work after it, which looks very modern..and she told me that it  was a hell of a job to do..

2 more pictures can be found on the website from the Gallery.

The reason I love her work so much is the attention for history combined with a modern approach, and the attention for detail and craft. Artisanal combined with Modern Art. It is a new direction for her, and I hope she will continue following this path..

I was tired at some point...and while going back to the railway-station I passed "Penelope Craft". The Yarn-store from the lovely Malia Mather, where often Stephen West can be found too (he was there, but he seems very shy...).

There is was.... 
I had to buy it..
Just released...

The book by Stella Ruhe about traditional Dutch Fisherman's Ganseys...
There is an good English translation released too, so all knitters in the Worlds can buy it..
And there is a Facebook Page..
A stunning and beautiful book..

More about it in my next blogpost..

I have had a really nice day in Amsterdam...or as Jesse wrote on Facebook after my previous Post..

gorgeous post, jan. so glad you went back and let yourself remember and start new memories.

I did...