Searching for Connection: Amsterdam Museums

The houses we live in say a great deal about who we are and what we value. From the choice of construction and decorative materials, to how rooms are divided and used (both spatially and temporally), to how our living spaces are maintained, houses are much more than shelters. Consider for example traditional Newfoundland saltbox style houses. Characterized by its two-storey center hall and parlour plan and a flat roof, few of these houses that pervaded rural Newfoundland throughout the twentieth century remain today. Of those that remain, they have been extensively renovated to incorporate modern features. And before this blog post begins to resemble a term paper rather than the ramblings of a curious perma-student, I’ll get to the point.

Though Newfoundland houses have changed considerably, it does not mean that the spaces are used in completely different ways. The kitchen is still the heart of the home and continues to be the most public room and chosen place of social activities. Gatherings of friends and family often center around the kitchen. Similarly, I was surprised to find during my MA fieldwork that in my hometown, modern houses continue to be cleaned by women consistent with the traditional methods and techniques. As times (and houses) change, we change too, but perhaps less drastically than we think.

I must admit that it has only been in the last two years that I’ve become interested in architecture. In fact, in high school, I remember my classmates and I having a grand laugh at our teacher Mr. Hicks who had taken what he called a very interesting course at MUN called Vernacular Architecture. I suppose putting one’s foot in the mouth years later is never too late, as I’ve gone on to study this genre within Folklore at the Graduate level, even attending the annual Vernacular Architecture Forum's conference in Chicago this past May! During our field school in Folklore, the introduction to our MA studies at the Department of Folklore, we were taught not only how to properly draw floor plans that document these spaces, but also how to talk to the folks that use them. It’s very rewarding and interesting work! (You were right, Mr. Hicks.)

Although my interest lies primarily with contemporary uses of space (such as how houses are cleaned and decorated), I’m still fascinated by historical architecture. We’ve yet to see inside any modern Dutch houses (something we plan to remedy soon!) but have seen some really incredible buildings:

On Tuesday, Ryan and I finally got to apply for our residence permits and are now legally allowed to stay here for the Fall. We DID see Mr. Grump at the IND Reception desk, much less grumpy once we told him we had an appointment. By mid-morning, we had applied for our permits, been photographed and fingerprinted for our residence cards, and left unscathed. With no set agenda, we flipped through our trusty Amsterdam guide book and decided to visit Museum Van Loon, conveniently located on the Southern Canal Ring.

Built in 1672, the museum house is the only complete canal house replica in Amsterdam. Its elegant yet subdued sandstone façade welcomed us inside, where I quickly found myself transfixed by the entrance hall.

After changing ownership several times (including extensive renovation throughout the second half of the eighteenth century in the fashionable Louis XV style), the house was gifted in 1884 as a wedding present to Willem Hendrik and wife-to-be Thora Egidius by Willem’s father, Hendrik Maurits van Loon. The influential Van Loon family (who, in their lineage, can boast connections to the cofounding of the Dutch East India company, various high political positions, the Royal Family, and several business ventures) has owned the house at 672 Keizersgracht ever since.

Despite its many alterations and renovations in its 400-year-old history, the house has been extensively restored to offer an impression of the Van Loon’s family living:

 The Dining Room

 The Red Drawing Room

(#swank)

 The Drakensteyn Room

The Red Bedroom: Hidden staircase located behind this wall

 The Bird Room: Used as a nursery and children's bedroom. Walls conceal built-in bookcases added in eighteenth century

View of the back of house and garden

Strolling through each of the rooms, I felt a little like a detective. It’s really quite interesting to discover the little hidden gems in each room.

Sneaky way to conceal something (couldn't open it!)

 Leading down to the kitchen

Of course, as with any museum—and particularly one that involves extensive and costly restoration—several important decisions have been made. The uppermost floor, for example, is closed off to the public. Formerly the servants’ quarters, it has now been renovated as a living space for the current Van Loon family. The work kitchen in the basement is a replica, as the space was used as an art gallery in the 1970s. It was restored in the 1990s based on photographs of what it would have looked like. 

It is perhaps no surprise that the servants’ work and living spaces were not as prioritized in the restoration. If looking at buildings tells us anything, it is that we ornament the spaces we value most. These particular rooms would not have boasted the elaborate detailing of mouldings and ceilings seen on the main floors. They are obviously less grand and magnificent. And yet I was sorely disappointed that we could not, as we so easily were able with the Van Looms, to imagine how these invisible servants would have lived. Just what was it like during an important meal to be the person to bring plates of food from the busy kitchen, up the staircase to the main house, along the entrance hall, and finally into the dining room? What did the journey look like for the chamber maid, who daily would have used the hidden staircase that linked the servants’ quarters to the impressive red bedroom?

Upon finishing our tour, we strolled hand in hand along the canal ring chatting about the museums we have seen since being here. As we’ve written, they’re very interactive and engaging, at times both profoundly moving and surprisingly refreshing. As I begin my own research, I keep puzzling over our love of museums and what it is we look for in them. For me, I’m never quite sure if I look to find the exotic “other” or if I look to find myself: that connection to people, places, and things that transcend categorization. As of yet, I’m still left with more questions than answers.

Not a bad place for a perma-student, I think.

Stay tuned!

xo
kc