The threatened swan

Two hundred years ago in 1800, the Rijksmuseum was founded in Amsterdam - a source of national pride due to their collection of 17th century Dutch paintings. The foundation of the museum united a number of collections of Dutch paintings, among them well known Rembrandt's, Frans Halses' and Vermeer's. The first painting the museum bought after its foundation was a special one: "De bedreigde zwaan ()" by Jan Asselijn, which you can see on the homepage of this announcement. The swan forcefully protects her nest with seven eggs against a swimming dog. The purpose of the painting was to symbolise the unification of the seven Dutch provinces to become a republic, thereby co-ordinating their efforts to survive against the threats of the surrounding world. This unification worked well and came to be the motor for our national stability. Also as a symbol of the development of the Rijksmuseum's collection to an international level, the painting reflects a rigorous and effective start. Therefore, we thought that this painting could well symbolise our start to unify our strategic and scientific efforts in the development of C-L psychiatry in Europe.