Art & Literature

Collections of the Ambassade Hotel


« L’art CoBrA a volé mon cœur et c’était complétement inattendu, comme c’est toujours avec le cas pour les grandes passions de la vie. Tant de choses si surprenantes m’ont brusquement coupé le souffle: les couleurs, la liberté, le ludique, l’inhabituel, l’expérimentation, l’intuitif … Je ne savais pas où poser les yeux. Ces centaines d’œuvres, dans toutes leurs variations, c’était vraiment impressionnant. Tableaux à l’huile, travaux sur papier, sculptures de toutes sortes et de toutes tailles qui exhalaient la passion…  En 40 ans ils n’ont rien perdu de leur puissance, au contraire. J’étais là, cloué au sol, la chair de poule sur tout le corps.

Ce moment de grand émerveillement a eu lieu en 1988, lors d’une exposition Cobra à la Nieuwe Kerk, place du Dam. C’est à ce moment-là, parmi toutes ces œuvres d’art, que mon intérêt pour le mouvement Cobra est né. Je suis heureux que notre collection, ainsi que plus de 5000 livres signés et livres d’or, ait désormais trouvé un si bel endroit à Amsterdam sur le Herengracht et le Singel et soit accessible à un large public. »

Wouter Schopman

propriétaire

CoBrA Art


Seized by the expression, the management of the Ambassade Hotel started with the collection of Cobra art in late 2001.

At the time of writing the collection contains more than 800 works of art. The goal is to allow the collection to grow into a comprehensive and complete overview of Cobra; a unique, post-war art movement with members throughout Europe, including Asger Jorn, Pierre Alechinsky and Karel Appel. In addition, the Ambassade Hotel owns some late 19th-century works by leading figures from the Amsterdam Impressionists movement: Isaac Israëls and George Hendrik Breitner.

Literature


In the Library Bar you will find a unique collection of signed books by authors who have all stayed at the Ambassade Hotel: more than 5000 of them.

The Ambassade Hotel has traditionally maintained close links with publishers in Amsterdam and the surrounding areas. Many of these publishing houses, as well as some of Amsterdam’s best-known bookshops and authors’ cafés, are located within walking distance of the Ambassade Hotel.

Although authors have long been staying at the Ambassade Hotel, the aforementioned collection of signed books was not started until the year 1986. The Ambassade Hotel owes this interesting collection to the fact that Dutch publishers generally book their foreign authors into the Ambassade Hotel for the launch of the Dutch translation of their books.

Private tours


We offer our guests a unique form of hospitality to discover the best Amsterdam has to offer with our private guide Eduard.

As the management and staff of the Ambassade Hotel, we feel privileged to run a hotel in the historic canal ring. This canal ring area is featured on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Being located in the canal ring area, the hotel can perfectly operate as a springboard to explore the most beautiful and historic parts of the city.

Eduard offers three different tours; a tour of the hotel, a walking tour through the different parts of Amsterdam and a bicycle tour. Furthermore, it is also possible to request a personalized tour.

The Literaire Salon


Since 2016, the Ambassade Hotel organizes every month de Literaire Salon @ Ambassade Hotel, in collaboration with producer and media-artist Babeth M. VanLoo. A journalist or writer will be in an one-hour dialogue with an author about a book, oeuvre or a (topical) theme. In the end of the conversation the audience has the possibility to ask questions. Every edition closes with a festive drink and a signing session by the author.

Previous guests included Dick Swaab, Judith Herzberg, Remco Campert, Annejet van der Zijl, Murat Isik, Arnon Grunberg, Tommy Wieringa, Connie Palmen, Abdelkader Benali, Jan Siebelink, Femke Halsema, David Sedaris en Tom Lanoye

Twice a year de Muzikale Salon is organized. This is alternately provided by violinist Svenja Staats and string orchestra Amsterdam Sinfonietta.