Something to remember
Meisje met de parel
Throughout the world, the Netherlands is famous for its painters. Rembrandt van Rijn, Vincent van Gogh, and Johannes Vermeer are just a few of the most famous painters from the Netherlands. When you ask someone from China what they think of when they think of the Netherlands, it is often the paintings of these painters.
“When I saw this painting I just thought it looked really nice. I knew about other painters like Rembrandt and Van Gogh too. Dutch paintings are quite famous in China.”
He touches upon an interesting point. Art is not just a local product anymore. Paintings and other forms of art have travelled the globe, and are part of the appeal that many countries have. Foreigners who think of China will likely think about the imposing and beautiful buildings such as the Forbidden Palace and the Great Wall. Many people will also bring a souvenir depicting such buildings home.
A PhD student from China in the Netherlands has plenty of time to explore the country. Since a PhD takes roughly four years, a trip to one of the many museums in the Netherlands is something many students do. The owner of the object discovered visiting museums as a new hobby.
“When I was in primary school I still lived in Inner Mongolia, in a small town. Back then, I had time to be interested in art, but when secondary and tertiary education came along, that time became less and less.”
When studying for a master’s and bachelor's degree in China, there was little time to visit places and practice hobbies. The pressure is very high. However, since starting his PhD studies in the Netherlands, he has had more time to relax and can now spend weekends exploring hobbies instead of only studying for school.
The Mauritshuis has been the home of this painting for many decades. On a visit there, he decided to buy this copy of the painting. The painting must have appealed to him. According to CNN, it is one of the most famous in the world.
It will certainly be brought home to China when he has completed the PhD programme. There, it will likely serve as a memory of the four years spent in the Netherlands. In so doing, the art travels around the world to reach an even wider group of enthusiasts.