Mesm Tokyo, Collaboration with The National Museum of Western Art: Rembrandt's 'Light and Shadow' - 'TOKYO WAVES' Afternoon Exhibition Chapter 17 'Rembrandt - A Journey through the Light of Holland'
Mesm Tokyo collaborates with the National Museum of Western Art to host an afternoon exhibition themed around Rembrandt, offering unique sweets and savories from June 1 to September 30, 2026. It expresses Dutch food culture and Rembrandt's world of 'light and shadow' through an artistic experience for all five senses.
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Mesm Tokyo, Autograph Collection (Minato-ku, Kaigan 1-10-30 / General Manager Hisashi Oinuma), a modern luxury hotel that resonates with the dynamism and waves of Tokyo, offering creative experiences in a sophisticated space, will offer its second collaboration with The National Museum of Western Art. The Afternoon Exhibition Chapter 17, 'Rembrandt - A Journey through the Light of Holland,' will be available for a limited four-month period from Monday, June 1 to Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 'Whisk,' the bar & lounge on the 16th floor.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 'The Hundred Guilder Print,' circa 1648, etching, drypoint, burin / Japanese paper, The National Museum of Western Art.
This Afternoon Exhibition features Rembrandt van Rijn (hereinafter, Rembrandt), a representative painter and printmaker of 17th-century Holland, expressing his life and the world of 'light and shadow' that symbolizes his work through sweets and savories. Unlike typical afternoon teas with a bright and glamorous impression, Mesm Tokyo's unique 'five-senses art experience' allows guests to enjoy the beauty of monochrome and the depth of chiaroscuro through both taste and visual appeal.
This time, inspired by Dutch food culture, we have prepared an appetizer menu that reconstructs traditional Dutch flavors in Mesm Tokyo's style. This includes 'Poffertjes' (a traditional Dutch mini-pancake-like pastry), which is rarely tasted in Japan, as well as sandwiches made with pickled herring, tompouce, croquettes, and apple tarts. For the main sweets and pairing drinks, we expressed the deep shadows and lingering light seen in Rembrandt's works, incorporating elements of 'etching,' a printmaking technique where lines are etched onto a copper plate using corrosive methods. The sweets are crafted with sculptural beauty, combining the black of cacao sauce with the white of panna cotta to create an impressive world of light and shadow. Guests can enjoy Rembrandt's artistic world from multiple perspectives through both sight and taste.
Furthermore, The National Museum of Western Art will hold a special exhibition, 'Rembrandt the Printmaker: Challenge, Legacy, Impact,' from Tuesday, July 7 to Wednesday, September 23, 2026. We encourage visitors to visit the museum before or after the Afternoon Exhibition, circulating between the hotel and the museum to more deeply savor Rembrandt's world of work during a summer spent enjoying art.
Afternoon Exhibition Chapter 17 'Rembrandt - A Journey through the Light of Holland'
Appetizers (8 types of sweets & savories)
[1] Poffertjes [Inspiration: Born in Leiden, Netherlands, 1606]
Rembrandt was born in 1606 in Leiden, Netherlands, into a family of millers. In tribute to this background, we have prepared 'Poffertjes,' a traditional baked pastry made with wheat and buckwheat flour. The fluffy pastry is served with fresh cream, offering a simple and gentle flavor.
[2] Herring Sandwich [Inspiration: Dutch herring culture established in the 14th century]
Inspired by the herring that supported Dutch food culture, with thoughts on Leiden, the city where Rembrandt was born and began his career as a painter. Sweet and sour herring is sandwiched with lemon, sauerkraut, and mustard on pain de campagne, creating a refreshing acidity and profound flavor.
[3] Tompouce [Inspiration: Conceived by pastry chefs in Amsterdam]
Recalling the landscape of Amsterdam, where Rembrandt moved in 1631/32 seeking new opportunities, this dish is inspired by 'Tompouce,' one of the classic cakes popular in the Netherlands and Belgium. We incorporated its characteristic pink color into the pastry and replaced the usual custard with smooth ice cream, resulting in a light treat.
[4] Gefulde Koek [Inspiration: Rembrandt's marriage in 1634 and the flourishing civic culture]
In 1634, Rembrandt married Saskia, from a wealthy aristocratic family, marking a glamorous turning point in his life. This item is a traditional Dutch cookie made with almonds, which were expensive at the time. It offers a simple yet crispy texture and a lingering almond flavor.
[5] Dutch Croquette [Inspiration: Completion of 'The Night Watch,' a masterpiece, in 1642]
Widely popular in the Netherlands, this croquette has been arranged to echo the colors of Rembrandt's work. It encloses a bechamel-based filling, coated with homemade black breadcrumbs infused with squid ink, and then fried. Enjoy with a paprika sauce that evokes the impression of red depicted in the painting.
[6] Flauwe [Inspiration: 1656 was Rembrandt's daily life and circumstances]
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 'The Hundred Guilder Print,' circa 1648, etching, drypoint, burin / Japanese paper, The National Museum of Western Art.
This Afternoon Exhibition features Rembrandt van Rijn (hereinafter, Rembrandt), a representative painter and printmaker of 17th-century Holland, expressing his life and the world of 'light and shadow' that symbolizes his work through sweets and savories. Unlike typical afternoon teas with a bright and glamorous impression, Mesm Tokyo's unique 'five-senses art experience' allows guests to enjoy the beauty of monochrome and the depth of chiaroscuro through both taste and visual appeal.
This time, inspired by Dutch food culture, we have prepared an appetizer menu that reconstructs traditional Dutch flavors in Mesm Tokyo's style. This includes 'Poffertjes' (a traditional Dutch mini-pancake-like pastry), which is rarely tasted in Japan, as well as sandwiches made with pickled herring, tompouce, croquettes, and apple tarts. For the main sweets and pairing drinks, we expressed the deep shadows and lingering light seen in Rembrandt's works, incorporating elements of 'etching,' a printmaking technique where lines are etched onto a copper plate using corrosive methods. The sweets are crafted with sculptural beauty, combining the black of cacao sauce with the white of panna cotta to create an impressive world of light and shadow. Guests can enjoy Rembrandt's artistic world from multiple perspectives through both sight and taste.
Furthermore, The National Museum of Western Art will hold a special exhibition, 'Rembrandt the Printmaker: Challenge, Legacy, Impact,' from Tuesday, July 7 to Wednesday, September 23, 2026. We encourage visitors to visit the museum before or after the Afternoon Exhibition, circulating between the hotel and the museum to more deeply savor Rembrandt's world of work during a summer spent enjoying art.
Afternoon Exhibition Chapter 17 'Rembrandt - A Journey through the Light of Holland'
Appetizers (8 types of sweets & savories)
[1] Poffertjes [Inspiration: Born in Leiden, Netherlands, 1606]
Rembrandt was born in 1606 in Leiden, Netherlands, into a family of millers. In tribute to this background, we have prepared 'Poffertjes,' a traditional baked pastry made with wheat and buckwheat flour. The fluffy pastry is served with fresh cream, offering a simple and gentle flavor.
[2] Herring Sandwich [Inspiration: Dutch herring culture established in the 14th century]
Inspired by the herring that supported Dutch food culture, with thoughts on Leiden, the city where Rembrandt was born and began his career as a painter. Sweet and sour herring is sandwiched with lemon, sauerkraut, and mustard on pain de campagne, creating a refreshing acidity and profound flavor.
[3] Tompouce [Inspiration: Conceived by pastry chefs in Amsterdam]
Recalling the landscape of Amsterdam, where Rembrandt moved in 1631/32 seeking new opportunities, this dish is inspired by 'Tompouce,' one of the classic cakes popular in the Netherlands and Belgium. We incorporated its characteristic pink color into the pastry and replaced the usual custard with smooth ice cream, resulting in a light treat.
[4] Gefulde Koek [Inspiration: Rembrandt's marriage in 1634 and the flourishing civic culture]
In 1634, Rembrandt married Saskia, from a wealthy aristocratic family, marking a glamorous turning point in his life. This item is a traditional Dutch cookie made with almonds, which were expensive at the time. It offers a simple yet crispy texture and a lingering almond flavor.
[5] Dutch Croquette [Inspiration: Completion of 'The Night Watch,' a masterpiece, in 1642]
Widely popular in the Netherlands, this croquette has been arranged to echo the colors of Rembrandt's work. It encloses a bechamel-based filling, coated with homemade black breadcrumbs infused with squid ink, and then fried. Enjoy with a paprika sauce that evokes the impression of red depicted in the painting.
[6] Flauwe [Inspiration: 1656 was Rembrandt's daily life and circumstances]