Joan Huydecoper van Maarsseveen (1599–1661)

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Huydecoper as an officer of the civic guard by Govert Flinck in the Amsterdams Historisch Museum

Joan or Johan Huydecoper van Maarsseveen (1599–1661) was an important merchant, financial expert, property developer active in Amsterdam. He took over the family tannery, pelt and armament trading business. He was a director of the Dutch East India Company, the consolidated Dutch trading company founded by tjegovernment of the Dutch Republic. He was six times mayor of Amsterdam and was knighted lord of Maarsseveen. He was one of the initiators of the construction of the new town hall of Amsterdam and was a prominent patron of the arts and art collector.[1]

Life[]

Joan was born in Amsterdam as the son of Jan Jacobsz. Huydecoper (1540-1624). The Dutch-language name Huydecoper means 'buyer of pelts'. His father was a tanner and pelt trader in Amsterdam and held positions as council and aldermen of Amsterdam. In 1602, he was one of the first investors in the Dutch East India Company.[2] In 1616 he owned shares in the Magelhaense Compagnie (Magellan Company), which traded with South America.[3] He invested in property all over the city, but especially on Uilenburg, behind his house. In 1622 he bought a lot in the Jordaan, where he had seven houses built, three of which along the Lauriergracht.

Portrait bust of Joan Huydecoper by Artus Quellinus the Elder

Joan Huydecoper had an important political career: first he was elected to the vroedschap of Amsterdam. He was six times a mayor of Amsterdam. Johan Huydecoper was an important patron and collector of art. He is mentioned as the first person in Amsterdam, who bought a painting from Rembrandt.[4] Huydecoper and Rembrandt probably met each other at an early stage, as they both lived in the Sint Antoniesbreestraat. Huydecoper became a connoisseur of fine arts and was friendly with Jan Vos (poet), who praised his house and collection of paintings in several poems, one on a painting by Rubens. In 1639, Philip Vingboons designed his mansion on Singel; the house was destroyed in 1943, when two English planes collided in midair and one came down on the house. (One of the few spots in Amsterdam that were damaged during the Second World War).

The mansion of Johan Huydecoper van Maarsseveen, at Singel 539

Huydecoper was also a real-estate developer along the river Vecht (Utrecht), where he had his country house. Gary Schwartz wrote: "What art could contribute to Maarsseveen: architecture to beautify it, map-making to advertise it, and poetry to immortalise it. He used the patronage he wielded in Amsterdam to put artists scholars, and publishers to work for him in Maarsseveen".[5] In 1650, Huydecoper had the gates closed, the bridges lifted, and the city protected, when William II of Orange tried to attack Amsterdam. He was involved in the building and decoration of the new city hall on Dam Square.

During his office as a burgomaster, he chose the side of Cornelis de Graeff and made several diplomatic trips; in 1653 he went to Lübeck and he represented the city in 1655 at the baptism of the son of Frederick William of Brandenburg, and in 1660 at the coronation of Charles II of England.[6]

Huydecoper symbolises the prosperity of Amsterdam during the Golden Age and managed to unify wealth, politics and the cultural elite status in Amsterdam.[7] He was the father of burgomaster Joan Huydecoper II and father-in-law of Jan J. Hinlopen, an art collector.

Sources[]

  1. ^ Polak, M.S. (1987) Inventaris van het familiearchief Huydecoper 1459-1956, p. 6.
  2. ^ Israel, J. (1989) Dutch Primacy in World Trade, 1585-1740, p. 71.
  3. ^ Gaastra, F. (1989) Bewind en beleid bij de VOC (1672-1702), p. 257.
  4. ^ Schwarz, G. (1987) Rembrandt, p. 134.
  5. ^ Schwartz, G. (1983) Jan van der Heyden and the Huydecoper of Maarsseveen. In: The J. Paul Getty Museum Journal XI, p. 197.
  6. ^ Roberts, B. (1998) Through the keyhole. Dutch child-rearing practices in the 17th and 18th century. Three urban elite families, p. 51.
  7. ^ Roberts, B. (1998) Through the keyhole. Dutch child-rearing practices in the 17th and 18th century. Three urban elite families, p. 50.

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