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The Hirst Art Studies | Miniatures 

The Amsterdam Canal Project is a large project that involves a whole series of houses, docks and ships. I started to work on the project on April 8th 2010. With only the idea of an 16th to 18th century Amsterdam skyline in mind I started the project by collecting images and ideas from the internet and visited the city several times. How the project develops and where this will lead to is not clear yet. I did however set a goal for November 6th 2010, Crisis convention in Antwerp. And February 19, Tactica convention in Hamburg. I would like to have a display of this project ready for these two conventions.

I started this project with collecting data about the history of the city and its inhabitants. I strongly focused on the building styles dating from the 16th up to the 18th century since this is what I would like to capture in the project.

Since this is a rather large project I made a longer introduction about what this project is all about. You can read about it on this page. If however you would like to go to the project itself you can use the following link:

Amsterdam Canal Project Page

Amsterdam a brief history:

In the year 1275 we find the first written proof of the existence of the city of Amsterdam. Around 1300 Amsterdam is granted city rights. Shortly after that the beer trade started with the German city of Hamburg which eventually leads to the development of Amsterdam as a city of trade.

Around 1500 Amsterdam was the most important trade center of Holland. With this development the city itself grew steadily. Since the area was mostly a swamp area, every city increase was accompanied with the digging of canals. The dug up material was used for rising the building area and to improve the discharge of water in the area. Building in swamp area was only possible by using wooden poles as a foundation.

Amsterdam 1544

Around 1300 Amsterdam had 1000 inhabitants. When Amsterdam became an important trade center population grew rapidly. From 30.000 citizens in 1570 up to 100.000 in 1622. At the end of the 17th century the population was increased to 200.000.

This rapid growth asked for a major city expansion leading to the concentric canal shapes that became the typical feature of the city. This was also the era that became known as ”the Golden age”. Merchant build their impressive houses along the canals and warehouses appeared in certain areas of the city.

Amsterdam 1649:

The city expanded on the west side. Three canals were added running from north to south a as well as a whole city block on the east. If you look closely you can already see the future city expansion plan that is drawn with thin black lines.

Amsterdam 1662:

Again a whole new area was added at the north and east side of the old city. The canals where extended forming the concentric shape.

Amsterdam, pedestrian city:

The old city wasn't designed for traffic. It was a modest scale city that was build for pedestrians. In the 17th and 18th century visitors had to leave their transport (horses & coaches) on so called square drives that where situated around the city. In the 18th century the more wealthy citizens had their own parking spaces within the city limits. They had a private coach house or parked their coaches in narrow streets between canals.

The lay out of the city was based on the idea of an “Ideal City”. During the Renaissance the idea was that a city should be a mixture of habitation and recreation. Open spaces alongside the canals became gardens and although canals where vital for water management and transport, it also was an important decorative feature.



A cross section of two canals and the area in between shows that there must have been a master plan for expanding the city. The streets alongside the canals where equal in width as well as the height of the houses alongside both canals. It also points out that the most important transportation method was by water and not by land.

Looking at the streets in those times there wasn't an actual difference in height between the sidewalk and the road itself. All was paved at the same level.



The stones that where used where small yellow bricks alongside the houses and the water front. The road itself was made using larger gray cobbles. Although this type of pavement doesn't exist anymore they do find stones of the old pavement during repair work. During one of these occasions they found some of these stones and laid out a small part as you can see in the picture above. A very realistic painting is the one you can see below.



Another painting dating from 1672. You can see clearly how the pavement is laid out. What is missing though are the trees. Now trees are also an important feature alongside the canals. However trees where occasionally left out of paintings because the principal just wanted a good picture of his house. Earliest proof of trees in the city dates from a city map of 1579. the picture below above shows a city map of 1613 where trees can be seen clearly.

The houses of Amsterdam:

Building styles:

The time span of my project lies between the 16th and 18th century. (and a small step into the 19th century). This means that I will try to sculpt houses that fit each of these time periods in order to become a realistic mixture of facades as you can still see today along the Amsterdam canals. The building styles are as follows:

16th and 17th century:
Dutch Renaissance or Northern Mannerism (1550-1630

18th century:
Louix XIV (Baroque) (1700-1740)
Louix XV (Rococo) (1740-1775)
Louix XVI and Empire (1765-1800)

19th century:
Neoclassicism (1800-1880)
Other styles are too modern so they are not mentioned here.

The wooden gable



Up until the mid 16th century, most houses where build out of wood. Due the number of great city fires the building of wooden houses became forbidden within city limits. Earlier city law already decided that the sidewalls of each house had to build out of stone. Wooden houses where build with the standard gable form, a pointy one.

The stepped gable



Between 1600 and 1665 wooden houses disappeared rapidly out of the city skyline. During that period stone stepped gables replaced the outdated and less safe wooden gables. During the 17th century the stepped gable dominated the city skyline. At the present there are about 100 of these gables left in the city.

The triangular or spout gable (directly translated from the Dutch word “Tuit”)



This type of gable can only be found on warehouses dating between 1620 - 1720. A sober pointy shaped gable with a flat top hedged with a sandstone plate or small wooden pediment. Dwelling houses also had these kind of gables but only at the back. (The side that wasn’t used for showing off).

Neck gable



A brick facade with on both sides a right-angle filled with sandstone claw pieces. Neck gables were build between 1640-1780. The First half of the 18th century was the most popular period for this type of gable. Architect Philip Vingboons was the inventor of the neck gable. The Louis XIV-style (1700-1740) fits well with this type of gable. The later Louis XV-style (1740-1770) fitted better with the Bell Gable.

Elevated neck gable

Build between 1640-1670 the elevated neck gable is actual a stepped gable that has been reduced to only two big steps. This gable has two right angles on both sides filled with claw pieces. The elevated neck gable facade is often decorated with two or more pilasters. Between 1640-1670 (the classicism period) building with pilasters as well as pediments and Oeils- de- Boeufs where quite popular.

Bell Gable



The top of the bell gable has the shape of a clock with sandstone decorative trim on the edges and volutes on the down end of the trim. Bell gables where build between 1660 and 1790. Up to 1700 the bell gables where relatively modest decorated with pediments and festoons. From 1700 onwards bell gables became more exuberant with decorative turn pieces and Louis XV crests on top.

List Facade



The 18th century list facade has a straight horizontal top that is decorated with a round elevated part in the middle, lifting beam and attic hatch. Often the decoration is abundant and has the function of concealing the pointy roof that lies behind the facade. The Louis XIV and XV baroque styles fit well with the list facades.

Decorative Ornaments:

Attiek:

Rich decorated elevation on top of a cornice with the intention to conceal the pointy roof behind it. The Attiek can be an open or closed one. The open version is more common.



Cartouche:

Cartouche comes from the Italian word “cartoccio” which means coiled paper. It is a decorative stone with coiled forms that is used around windows, lifting beams or a plaque that shows a date or a scene.



Console:

Decorating stones at can be found underneath a cornice. Used in 18 century designs. Depending on the Louis styles consoles are symmetrical or asymmetrical.



Claw or Wing piece:

Sculpted ornaments placed alongside both sides of the top part of a neck gable. The decoration consists out of flowers or fruit compositions. In some cases you can find claw pieces that represent gods like Neptune or Mercury or fishes.



Crest:

Decoration on top of 18th century gables. Seen on Bell and Neck gables. The Louis XIV style is symmetrical where the Louis XV style is asymmetrical.



Door Calf:

Wooden part between the top end of the door and the window above it. Often nicely decorated.



Festoon:

A garland of flowers, fruits or leaves for decorative purposes.



Oeil-de-boeuf:

A small oval shaped window with a decorative trim found mostly in 17th century facades. This ornament is also called a “cows eye”



Pediment:

A triangle or arch piece above a door or window or at the top of a façade. Inspired by classical architecture and quite popular in the 17th century.



Pilaster:

A square, flat column based on a classical form mason-ed on to the facade with a capital at the top end.

Sky light or cutting window:

A richly decorated window above the front door that brings light in to the hallway. Occasionally skylights were equipped with a lantern cabinet to bring light in to the hallway and in front of the house at night time. Streetlights were not present at those times.



Turn Piece:

Sandstone ornament used mostly on bell gables. Often in the shape of a curl (volute) with a crest on top. It is the starting point of the curb-stone layer that goes up from the turn piece to the top of the gable.

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