Making the invisible visible.

Dr. Pieter Vlaardingerbroek shines new light on the interiors of Amsterdam residential houses from the period 1820 to 1860, zooming in especially on the plethora of materials and techniques combined in this  undervalued period. We welcome you to the April 2023 Edition of “Through Different Eyes“.

All year around, Brinkman Fine Real Estate invites you into a carefully curated portfolio of properties in The Netherlands and beyond, each one a masterpiece of architectural distinction.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Scagliola (stucco marble) used in a room at Keizersgracht, Amsterdam.

MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE

In 2021, Pieter Vlaardingerbroek wrote an article that shines new light on the interiors of Amsterdam residential houses from the period 1820 to 1860. During this time, Amsterdam’s facades were remodelled according to contemporary fashion trends: neck and bell gables were replaced by cornices. This change was described negatively by the art critic J.A. Alberdingk Thijm, who considered this an incorrect use of the cornice. This negative judgment still dominates the art-historical approach to architecture at this time, which meant that research into what lies behind these simple facades failed to materialise. Vlaardingerbroek’s article lays a foundation for the revaluation of this era, especially of Amsterdam’s interiors and their splendour, which are finally getting a platform of recognition.

In his article, he provides thirteen descriptions of Amsterdam interiors of canal houses from the nineteenth century, from which he distills several features of the fashion developments of the time. Stylistic features, such as colour, use of materials and ornament; influences from European countries, mainly France, Belgium and England; and leading architects and firms emerge from the examples.

At this time, classical styles, such as neoclassicism and the late empire style, were predominantly used in Europe. This classical inspiration led to a change in the use of materials in architecture. For Amsterdam architecture, this meant a large increase in the use of scagliola (stucco marble), as well as a high concentration of stucco ceilings. At the Keizersgracht, such an example of a canal house with an interior marked by the use of stucco can be found. This property was bought by the stuccoer Johan Martens (1803-1861) and furnished as both a family home and also the show house of the stucco firm J.H. Martens & Son. The interior of the property allowed the firm to showcase its skills, which manifested itself in stucco ceilings and stucco marble. This property is a unique example of a fully scagliola-finished room in a smaller residential house, as this technique was mainly used in the interiors of distinguished residences and palaces.

The drawing room is decorated according to classical architectural orders and includes Corinthian and Doric pilasters. The intermediate wall surfaces of the white Corinthian pilasters have grey-red veining, while the artificial marble Doric pilasters feature reddish-brown tones. In addition, there are wall surfaces of blue stucco marble with yellow veining. The many examples of colors included in this period room give an insight into one of the important crafts in architecture and what the Dutch stucco family was capable of. The combination of materials and technique of the scagliola creates a complex texture and a wealth of colors, which cannot be seen in natural veined marble.

Besides this example of imitation marble, Vlaardingerbroek’s article includes several wonderful examples of early nineteenth-century Amsterdam interiors. This valuable article not only sparks interest for further scholarly research, but has also piqued our interest by analysing details, which sharpens our gaze. This perceptiveness teaches us to perceive the beauty of our surroundings.

Author: Anna Vlaardingerbroek, Student History of Art

Sources: Fock, Willemijn. Het Nederlandse interieur in beeld 1600-1900. Zwolle: Waanders, 2001.

Full article: Vlaardingerbroek, Pieter. “De vergeten tijd: Amsterdamse woonhuizen en hun interieurs uit de periode 1820-1860.” Tijdschrift voor Interieurgeschiedenis en Design 44(2022): 39-74. DOI: 10.243/GBI.44.0.3291077.

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