
Saskia Uylenburgh, the young wife of painter Rembrandt, was laid to rest in the Oude Kerk during the summer of 1642. Every year on 9 March, at exactly 8:39 a.m., a ray of sunlight falls on her grave. We mark this special moment with a breakfast featuring, among other things, Frisian sugar bread, a lecture, and music. City Poet Ellen Deckwitz recites a poem she wrote especially for this occasion. Curator Dorine Maat from the Amsterdam Museum will speak about Saskia and the project ‘Women of Amsterdam – an Ode’. As part of the celebration of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary, we’re doing something unique: we invite you to write an ode to Saskia Uylenburgh during the breakfast. All odes will become part of the Amsterdam Museum’s collection. The international improvisation choir August 38th will perform, and our house organist Matteo Imbruno will play the grand Vater Müller organ.
Rembrandt and Saskia in the Oude Kerk
The lives of Saskia Uylenburgh (1612–1642) and Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) are intertwined with the history of the Oude Kerk. In the summer of 1634, Rembrandt signed their marriage banns in the Spiegelkamer of the Oude Kerk. Saskia served as a model for many of Rembrandt’s works. The young couple lived just a stone’s throw from the church. During this period, Rembrandt created numerous etchings of the neighbourhood surrounding the Oude Kerk. In 1642, Saskia passed away at the age of 29 from tuberculosis. She was laid to rest in the Oude Kerk. Each year, we honour Saskia with a special breakfast.
Women of Amsterdam – An Ode in collaboration with the Amsterdam Museum
Women play a vital role in the story of Amsterdam, both in the past and the present. Yet these stories are not always told, and their names not always remembered. Did you know, for instance, that a woman initiated the restoration of the Oude Kerk in the 1950s? Or perhaps your mother or grandmother made a difference for the city? The Amsterdam Museum is seeking these stories and invites you to create an ode – a letter, photo, drawing, poem, or any other form – to a woman who has made an impact on the city. The Oude Kerk invites you to dedicate an ode to Saskia. All contributions will become part of the Amsterdam Museum’s collection.
August 38th
August 38th is a vocal ensemble composed of professional singers from the Netherlands, Italy, Mexico, the United States, Ukraine, Australia, Turkey, and Latvia, based in Amsterdam. The group embraces a spontaneous, conversational, sharp, and witty approach to music-making that is characteristic of Amsterdam's improvisational music scene. Their focus is on improvisation, exploring various possibilities for creating musical textures and atmospheres using the human voice. The ensemble includes Jodi Gilbert (VS), Marta Arpini (Italië), Annelie Koning (Nederland), Sanem Kalfa (Turkije), Maryana Golovchenko (Oekraine) and Laura Polence (Letland).