What's the prettiest flower in this lovely bunch? We definitely have our favourites. Balthasar van der Ast, Flowers in a Wan-Li Vase, with Shells, c. 1640-1650

If you're not paying attention, you might miss the miraculous events happening in this scene. This Greek landscape provides the backdrop for a Bible story from the Book of Revelations, in which he sees Mary and her child appear in heaven.  Hans Bol, Imaginary Landscape with St. John on Patmos, 1564

👗This painting is an absolute highlight in the oeuvre of Metsu, who was a master in depicting fabrics and materials. The beautiful colours, the draping and the way the light hits the fabrics simply steal the show here. Gabriel Metsu, A Young Woman Composing a Piece of Music, c. 1664

🍊📸 "Zijn torso [van de gevangene, red.] stond vol met strepen als gevolg van gevechten in de gevangenis. [...] Vier verticale strepen met één diagonale erdoor. Een ongewild kunstzinnig resultaat op een huid in plaats van op een muur." - Stephan Vanfleteren

Four of the five senses, as seen by Jan Miense Molenaer: messy, funny and just a little bit crude. 😅 Instead of respectable citizens, he painted peasants drinking, smoking, brawling and… well, smelling less than fresh. It was exactly this unruly behaviour that amused 17th-century audiences.

🎂🎈 A very happy 420th birthday to Rembrandt! To celebrate, here are some of our favourite details from his paintings from our collection. Can you name all the paintings?

🍇👀 In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, numerous pictures were made of the Virgin and her child Jesus. Here, she is looking ahead rather submissively, while her child tries to pluck a grape – a remarkably playful gesture.  Lucas Cranach the Elder, Virgin and Child, c. 1515-1520

“I am standing in the shadow, in the area where the light is blocked by an impenetrable object. We can try to make the obstacle smaller, or the light source larger. Or why not both?” - Stephan Vanfleteren. Pentimenti – Stephan Vanfleteren Among the Masters is on view through 23 August.

Just a handful of wild strawberries and a small white flower: Adriaen Coorte proves you don't need much. 🍓✨  He was unknown for a long time, until he was rediscovered in the second half of the twentieth century, and his paintings became very popular. Doesn't this painting just make you smile?

☁️🧑‍🎨 Standing in front of View of Delft by Vermeer is like standing in front of an open window... Vermeer directs our gaze from the shadow, over the bridge, through the city gates, into the sun dreched city center, with the houses and Nieuwe Kerk.

🥘🧀🥚Although this appears to be a 17th-century Dutch still-life, it was made in the 18th-century. Chardin assembled some everyday objects, and placed them in an enchanting soft lighting. Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, Still Life with Copper Pot, Cheese and Eggs, c. 1730-1735

Such striking headwear! Although the painter’s name and the sitter are unknown, it was possible to date the portrait, as this kind of hat was popular after 1515. Master of the Brandon portrait (formerly attributed to), Portrait of a Man with a Samson Medal, c. 1515-1530

🫧A young boy blows bubbles in a shell full of soapsuds. The bubbles will later float away with the wind and inevitably burst. The message behind this carefree game is clear: enjoy the moment, because it will have passed before you know it. Frans van Mieris the Elder, A Boy Blowing Bubbles, 1663

A hunting party is passing through the Gevangenpoort (Prison Gate). The sunlight falls on the white horse and the buildings of the Binnenhof. And – in the distance – on the Mauritshuis. Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde, A Hunting Party near the Hofvijver in The Hague, seen from the Plaats, c. 1690

Maurits& The Offline Club: A night offline among the masterpieces 💥🍸 On the evening of July 2, The Offline Club will transform the Mauritshuis into a phone-free oasis where calm, creativity, play, connection, and mindfulness take center stage. Buy your tickets now via mauritshuis.nl/maurits

It is mainly the light that stands out in this idyllic landscape. Everything is bathed in the warm, golden light of a low sun. Some travellers are crossing a mountain path and stop to relieve themselves. In between the trees, we can see the calm water of a lake. Jan Both, Italian Landscape, c. 1645

Leading Belgian photographer Stephan Vanfleteren let himself be inspired by the paintings in the Mauritshuis. One of them was the Last Self Portrait by Rembrandt. Check out the result at the exhibition 'Pentimenti - Stephan Vanfleteren Among The Masters'. Go to mauritshuis.nl/pentimenti

😆What do you think he's laughing at? Leave your best joke in the comments! This cheerfully laughing boy with sparkly eyes and dishevelled hair is not a portrait, but a ‘tronie’ – a study of a laughing child.  Frans Hals, Laughing Boy, c. 1625 ____

🏁Two boys are sitting in a dark room playing draughts, while a few others look on. The boys are dressed in the latest Italian fashion and evidently belong to the upper class. Michael Sweerts, Draughts Players, 1652

🏛️🕒This Thursday, June 18th, we have limited opening hours at the Mauritshuis due to a private event. The museum is open from 15:00 until 18:00. Our Prince William V Gallery is open as usual, from 12:00 until 17:00.

👩‍🎨💐This bouquet has seen better days. The flowers are drooping and starting to fade. In the middle, a wilted opium poppy has been cut off, leaving behind a tiny droplet of moisture. The empty space left there lends depth to the bouquet. Rachel Ruysch, Vase with Flowers, 1700

🍽️A group of young people are gathered around a table in an elegant garden, laid with delicious pies. They are flaunting themselves and flirting with abandon. There can be no doubt about it: love is in the air. Esaias van de Velde, Merry Company in a Park, 1614

🪽These BIRDS are about to fly the coop! This is your last chance to admire BIRDS - Curated by The Goldfinch & Simon Schama.  Don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind exhibition: https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/what-s-on/exhibitions/birds-curated-by-the-goldfinch-simon-schama

1️⃣Every single work of art in our collection is given an inventory number. Meet number one: Salome with the head of John the Baptist. It has been on long-term loan to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam since 1948.  Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen, Salome with the Head of John the Baptist, 1524

🎈Can't get enough of art after your visit to the Mauritshuis? Until the 26th of June, The Hague city centre will once again be transformed into a dynamic open-air museum with BlowUp Jubilee – a high-profile anniversary edition of the much-loved art exhibition BlowUp Art.

Did you know our famous Goldfinch is now also a curator? Famous birds from around the world have flocked to the Mauritshuis for one very special exhibition.  BIRDS – Curated by The Goldfinch & Simon Schama, on view until June 7th.  Carel Fabritius, The Goldfinch, 1654

This painting is all about Moses, who, as a child, is seen by the pharaoh’s counsellors as a threat to Egypt. They test the toddler by making him choose between gold and a dish of glowing coals. In his innocence, Moses picks up a coal and burns himself. Jan Steen, Moses and Pharaoh's Crown, c. 1670

🐢Albert Eckhout recorded the Brazilian people, flora and fauna in drawings and paintings. Like these two red-footed tortoises. But Eckhout made the animals more exciting than they actually are – tortoises do not in fact have teeth. Albert Eckhout, Study of Two Brazilian Tortoises, c. 1640

This Portrait of an Old Man by Rembrandt shows a man at ease: his jacket open, his collar loosened and his hat tilted back... His pose is quite unusual, as people normally looked their very best when sitting for a portrait.  Rembrandt van Rijn, Portrait of an Elderly Man, 1667

Why do humans long to fly? 🪽 Leonardo da Vinci studied bird wings and designed flying machines, driven by an endless curiosity. Discover it in BIRDS, on view until June 7th. Leonardo da Vinci, Anatomy of a Bird Wing, c. 1512, pen and ink on paper, loan from His Majesty King Charles III