Anyone going to the Netherlands in the next couple of months might be interested in 2 exhibitions I visted last week on  a busman's holiday. Had a great time apart from food poisoning from an Argentinean steak house in Haarlem 

"Gat in de Stadt" at the  Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden is an exhibition of finds from urban excavtaions across Holland. Until Aug 29. Object descriptions available in English.

At the Stedelijk Museum in Alkmaar is the truly stunning "De Verborgen Stad: 750 jaar Alkmaar onder de Grond" which has stunning displays of ceramics, glass and other finds from Alkmaar's cesspits. English introductory film available. There is also an exhibition catalogue on sale from the museum. Its in Dutch but has many colour illustrations and English summaries of the discussion chapters at the end.
Until Nov 22.


A Belgian colleague alerted me to the major new work by the Italian historian Raffaella Sarti, Europe at Home: family and material culture 1500-1800 - essential reading for those interested in European material culture

Tot ziens
paul courtney
Leicester
uk