Frederik Franken

Henny Brouwer

Maurice Steemers

Renate Oosterloo

Amsterdam Central Station, Stationsplein (city side), main hall, near entrance metro

(Traintickets will be provided)

Late, lost or sick:

Call Ksenia at +31 6 19731042

ID card or passport

Date

1 June

Meeting time

8h55

Start tour

9h11 train departure to The Hague CS

End tour

16h00 in The Hague

Train arrival at Amsterdam Central Station 17h26

Kind of tour

Two houses visit, walking tour, see route between houses

The Johan de Witt house, constructed in 1652 and designed in a Classic style holds a significant place in Dutch history, once serving as the home of the esteemed statesman Johan de Witt.

The house had several restorations, a major one in 1966 and lastly in 2003, led by architect Laurens Vis on behalf of The Central Government Real Estate Agency based in The Haque. It included general architectural finishes research in several rooms, the preservation of newly discovered ceiling paintings on wood, the restoration of wall tiles, and the modernization of building technology in general.

However, shortly thereafter, in 2005, it suffered damage from an internal fire in one of the cabinets. Further examination of the damaged cabinets allowed for a reassessment of the original appearance and proposed possible solutions on how to preserve a 1780s chinoiserie cabinet.

The restoration work focused on salvaging original materials, repairing damaged woodwork, and recreating the original color scheme by using traditional techniques and materials for both ceilings, walls, and floors. New components, like chinoiserie hanging lamps, were designed based on historical references. The project's focus was on preserving the authenticity and charm of this chinoiserie interior, ensuring its continued relevance and appreciation.

Recently The La Fontaine Room has been subject to restoration work. All woodwork has been examined as are the partly overpainted wall hangings depicting the collected fables. The treatment of both is currently in progress.

Due to a close collaboration between all stakeholders, The Central Government Real Estate Agency, conservators, restorers, researchers, and craftsmen all projects aim to achieve a recreation of either 17th or 18th-century appearances while incorporating surviving elements and historical references.

Chinese Cabinet

 In 2020 it was discovered that the woodwork in the Chinese Cabinet had been partly overpainted during previous routine painting jobs. The carefully executed reconstruction- with the now illegal pigment lead white- was now overpainted with a modern synthetic paint that detonated in hue, gloss and saturation. In a project with students from het Conservation and Restoration Master of the University of Amsterdam this overpaint was partly removed. This brings up some important questions around reconstructed interiors- and how we can protect them.

In 2016, AFR by Josefien Tegelaar was conducted at the King's Office to investigate the original 18th-century finishes of its rooms, in preparation for a maintenance project. The aim was to provide a cohesive restoration vision for the entire interior. Initial research was carried out while the property was still in use, focusing on accessible areas, with plans to examine higher parts like ceilings once the property is vacated.

Historical research revealed the building, dating back to the 17th century, underwent significant modifications in 1724-1725, including new wings and stylistic elements such as panelling and stucco ceilings. The property has remained well-preserved with minimal changes since then.

The AFR found that rooms were originally painted in various shades of moss green and enriched with gilding, with notable differences between sides of the corridor. The first floor featured warm grey tones, while the second floor used different shades of grey to highlight architectural features. Some rooms have lost their historic finishes, but sufficient evidence remains to guide accurate restorations.