KLM Miniature 48 - Rembrandt House

KLM House No. 48 is a miniature of the Rembrandt House at Jodenbreestraat 4–6 in Amsterdam. It is a particularly special house, as it represents not only a beautiful historic Amsterdam townhouse, but also the former home and workshop of Rembrandt van Rijn.

The miniature was issued in 1976.

The original building was constructed in 1606. After 1660, it was given a classical pediment, and in 1906 it was restored. The KLM miniature mainly reflects the building’s distinctive tall and stately façade, with its symmetrical windows and classical roofline.

Rembrandt lived there from 1639 to 1658, during an important period at the height of his career. At the time, the house was much more than simply a home: he painted and created etchings there, welcomed clients, collected art and curiosities, and taught pupils in his studio. His wife Saskia also lived there, and their son Titus was born in the house.

The house also tells the other side of Rembrandt’s life. He earned a great deal of money, but he also spent heavily on art, prints, clothing, weapons and exotic objects. Financial difficulties eventually forced him to leave the property. This later proved valuable for historians, as a detailed inventory of his belongings was made when the house was sold. Based on that inventory, rooms such as his studio, living quarters and art collection room could be reconstructed as accurately as possible.

Today, the Rembrandt House Museum is probably the place where visitors can come closest to Rembrandt himself. You can walk through the rooms where he lived and worked, see how paint was made and etchings were printed, and discover how pupils worked in his studio. The museum is still located at Jodenbreestraat 4 in Amsterdam.