Looking for Belgium in The Netherlands

I was heading to The Mauritshuis in The Hague and was a bit disappointed to find it closed for renovation.

Fortunately, the works are on display in the Gemeentemuseum.

An Art Deco fan, I thought the building itself was a little marvel. It is designed by Dutch architect Hendrik Berlage and "a labyrinth of wonders. The colourful tiles, bronze window frames and subte details are real treats for the eye".

Back to the subject matter: looking for Belgium

"Fuga", by Gustave Van de Woestyne (1881-1947), a Belgian expressionist painter. He belonged to the so-called "First Group of Latem", a group of artists who worked in the rural village of Sint-Martens-Latem near Ghent. 

"Adam en Eva in het Paradijs", a magnificent work, showing the successful merger of talents of two of the greatest. "Research has shown that it was Brueghel who began sketching the  outlines of the composition on the panel, but that it was Rubens who put the first scenes in to paint: Adam and Eve, but also a part of the tree and the horse beside them. When this was done, Brueghel added the sky, the landscape and filled the rest of the painting with animals and plants. The painting captures the moment right before Adam eats from the fatal apple that Eve is handing him..."

The first work the visitor is confronted with upon entering the museum is an aviator, with the untranslatable title "Klapperschroef Rugzak met Vliegenier" by Antwerp born Panamarenko.

A Dutch speaking reader might be able to offer me some assistance on this one?

A great place to stay!

What added to the fun and made my short excursion up North an even more pleasant experience, was the place where I stayed overnight. I found it through Booking.com and warmly recommend Quarenta studio in Amsterdam. The host was so very hospitable and interesting. He offered plenty of  recommendations on what to visit, where to eat, on public transport etc. I found them helful. The studio has everything a traveler like me might want (wifi !, coffee!, a delicious breakfast packed with healthy goodies, a terrace with a private small garden leading to a waterway, like you see only in Holland, right in front of your sliding doors!). Look at the other reviews on booking.com because I am not the only one who enjoyed it so much. If you would like to stay at a  special place while visiting this part of the Netherlands, do not hesitate!

http://www.booking.com/hotel/nl/quarenta.en.html

http://rijksmuseumamsterdam.blogspot.be/2011/12/jan-breughel-peter-paul-rubens-garden.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panamarenko

http://www.artsholland.com/hague-gemeentemuseum-0-century maste
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Van_de_Woestijn