Villa Betty

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Introduction

VILLA situated near the Vondelpark on the Overtoom, originally built in 1877-78 in eclectic style with influences from the chalet style, presumably designed by H.G. Koster on commission of F.A. and P.H.F. Smithuysen. In 1896 the villa came into the hands of E.A. Lehmann who in 1900 had a new interior executed in various styles installed. From this period the villa became known under the name 'Villa Betty', named after Lehmann's wife, Betty von Hunteln.

N.B. In 1914 the veranda on the rear facade was renewed by Jos Th.J. Cuypers on commission of E.A. Lehmann. In 1924-1925 a new bay window extension on the rear facade was built according to a design by D.F. Slothouwer. In 1940 the tower capping was modified by L. Paans.

Description

Brick villa erected on a composite ground plan on a natural stone plinth consisting of a ground floor, mezzanine, upper storey and an attic storey under a combination of heavily overhanging, kinked at the foot gabled roofs covered with slate and provided with rich woodcarving at the wind braces. The ground floor is provided with rustication; between the storeys a hard stone belt course. The projecting gutter is carried by wooden corbels.

The villa has on the front (N) a large hard stone ceremonial staircase, ascending from two sides in arches towards the main entrance in the projecting central bay. The stair railings consist of candelabra columns under a coping plate. On the two stairposts at the beginning of the staircase an ornamental iron lantern. The entrance consists of a double rectangular door with two round-arched windows behind ornamental iron grillwork. Above the entrance a saddle-shaped iron canopy with leaded glass, wrought iron crest and wrought iron wind braces and roof ridges, carried by similarly wrought iron corbels, all executed very decoratively. From the canopy a wrought iron hanging lantern with milk glass. Above the entrance section the frieze between mezzanine and upper storey with the villa name in black capitals: 'VILLA BETTY'. Above that three small coupled windows with round-arched fanlights and in the pointed apex a large round-arched window. The right part of the front facade is two window axes wide and has on the ground floor two square windows, on the mezzanine and on the upper storey two T-windows positioned side by side with natural stone blocks in the jambs. The left part of the front facade is one window axis wide with a square window on the ground floor and a blocked-up window opening on the mezzanine. In the wall at the height of the ground floor a facade stone on which is inscribed:

First stone laid by P.H.F.M. Smithuysen aged 2 years October 1877.

Both side bays have in the roof a pointed roof dormer with overhanging roof line.

The right side (W) consists of two bays. The narrow, projecting left bay has at the apex of the pointed gable a round window with leaded glass. The right bay is two window axes wide and has in the middle a brick buttress rising from the mezzanine upwards. On the ground floor two square windows. On the mezzanine two wooden bay windows with leaded glass. On the upper storey two wooden balconies and in the roof two coupled roof dormers breaking through the roof line with overhanging pointed roofs. The corner with the rear facade (S) is formed by a very narrow bevelled corner bay at the upper storey with overlying roof dormer. The asymmetrical rear facade has in the left bay on the first floor a veranda with ornamental iron staircase to the garden. The decoratively executed parapet of the veranda is likewise of iron. Above the veranda an iron canopy executed in Jugendstil with mat glass coverage. The walls of the veranda are executed in concrete in raw finish. The projecting bay has a pentagonal bay window over ground floor and mezzanine with overlying balcony with iron parapet. This bay is provided with a pointed roof with richly carved wind braces. The right part of the rear facade has over the ground floor and mezzanine a wooden bay window with ornamental iron staircase to the garden. Above the bay window a pentagonal tower running up above the roof. The left side facade (E) has in the projection a round bay window over ground floor and mezzanine. The set-back bay is provided with a pointed roof with richly carved wind braces between which a round window with leaded glass. In the corner of this bay a quarter-round arch over the mezzanine with narrow leaded glass window. Below it a rear entrance. On the mezzanine a leaded glass window divided into three parts, breaking through the upper storey and rising in steps from the bottom.

All facades are enlivened by the application of lighter tinted decorative brick friezes, corner and closure stones and other decorative brickwork. The interior consists of various neo-styles. On the mezzanine there is a 'Dutch' room, a French 'Louis XVI' room, an 'Arabian' room, a 'Chinese' room, an 'English' room and a billiard room executed in Jugendstil. On the upper storey there is an Empire room and a 'Mechlin' room.

Valuation

Villa erected in eclectic style with influences from the chalet style, Jugendstil and historical interior styles of various countries with associated interior components, main component of the Villa Betty complex, of general importance on account of architectural and cultural-historical value as well as from the point of view of development of interior art; also of importance on account of the striking situation in a spacious garden at the edge of the Vondelpark.