Woonhuis, Jacob Marisplein 20

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

The RESIDENTIAL HOUSE was designed by Amsterdam architect J.A. de Waal and built in 1908. De Waal was active as a land developer and property developer who, among other things, developed the still-existing housing development around the Jacob Marisplein. The building was first occupied by F.M. Geels who owned a distillery. In 1911 he had the building renovated, giving the house a new front facade and completely new interior finishes to the vestibule, the hallway and the stairs, the front rooms on the ground floor and first storey. The building is situated on the west side of the Jacob Marisplein and forms part of a continuous facade wall. The other buildings have comparable facade heights and widths and are situated on the building line and each designed slightly differently. The Renaissance-inspired formal language of no. 20 causes this building to stand out distinctly in the row.

Description

The front facade is three window bays wide and three storeys high and has an asymmetrical composition; the two left window bays are terminated by a stepped gable, the right window bay is straight-topped. The masonry is executed in machine-manufactured reddish-brown brick in Flemish bond with joint cuts. The plinth and specklayers are of sandstone. Furthermore there are sandstone corner and quoin blocks, along the reveals of the gable openings and along the corners of facade and risalit. The risalit comprises the two left window bays. The ground floor contains to the left of the entrance two windows with a brick round arch with sandstone springer and keystone and an archivolt. The windows are provided with a wooden cross window with leaded light in the fanlights. The lower lights are provided with red-painted panelled shutters. To the right in the facade is the round-arched entrance with a sandstone surround and a pilaster on either side with consoles that carry a pediment with undecorated tympanum. The entrance contains a pale wood, divided-plank door with, among other things, a door knocker and peephole for which an iron grille. The fanlight (above the pediment) has a leaded-light window and follows the contours of the pediment. It is relieved by a round arch with archivolt. A sandstone moulding marks the transition to the second storey which contains three windows with wooden cross windows. They are comparable to those on the ground floor, including panelled shutters but less tall. With these windows the lower lights are also provided with leaded light. A sandstone moulding forms the gable termination and marks at the level of the risalit the transition to a stepped gable with moulded sandstone coping stones. The stepped gable is provided with a dormer window with a wooden cross window, leaded light and shutters. A brick course with springer and keystone relieves the window and adjoins a brick top pilaster. On either side of the window a sandstone cartouche is placed with respectively the inscription "ANNO" and "1911". The building is covered with a flat roof with one roof wing at the front. This is covered with mastic clay and contains to the right of the stepped gable a wooden roof dormer with a 9-pane window and a shutter. The rear facade is a simple whitewashed cornice-topped facade with a modern extension on the ground floor, a balcony on the second storey and modern casement windows with fanlight. Behind the main entrance is a small vestibule which is separated from the rear corridor by a wooden storm-door of neo-Renaissance style and in which a diagonally laid black-and-white chequered marble floor lies. The wooden neo-Renaissance storm-door is divided into three parts, with the door in the centre and on either side two narrower sidelights. Up to hip height the whole consists of wooden panels with above simple leaded-light panels that are provided at the top with a simple decorative trim. The glass-filled part of the wall is closed off by a wooden cornice with fluting and consoles in the form of human heads. The panelling above is divided into three parts by simple consoles. In the central field an oval fanlight with leaded light is fitted. The side fields are filled with vertical panels. The ceiling is provided with apparently solid beams which are however decorative. In the long narrow corridor is against the right wall the staircase to the upper floor.

The staircase is fitted with a simple handrail and richly carved balusters with rope mouldings and inlay work of ebony. The main baluster is crowned by a coat of arms-bearing lion with coloured arms. In the hallway are the doors to the front and back room, the kitchen and under the stair, which leads to the toilet and the cellar. All doors are executed as panel doors with a square lower panel and two standing narrower panels above and fitted with original brass hinges and fittings. The doors are painted in wood imitation in light and dark brown. The mouldings around the panels are darker than the panels and the rails and stiles of the doors. The wall under the modern wallpaper is painted with imitation sandstone blocks; the painting consists of white pointing on an ochre-coloured ground. This material imitation works well with the wood imitation on the doors. The cellar consists of two parts, separated by a brick wall and has a concrete floor. The front room on the ground floor is entirely executed in the neo-Louis XV style. The wooden parquet floor has a richly chequered pattern of different wood species. The room has a blue-grey painted wainscoting with panels, which are fitted with gilded decorations. The long walls are divided into two large fields with, in between, on the left side, the chimneypiece with gilded mirror above which is a grisaille of a putto with rose branch, signed Leo Vollers. Opposite, on the right side is a mirror in the same style, incorporated in the panelling with two Ionic pilasters and a framed panel with gilded plastic ornaments. The window pier contains a pier mirror with corresponding pier table in the same style. Above the windows hangs a wooden curtain rail with carved end caps in the form of a pineapple, set in richly carved wooden consoles. The large fields on the walls are characterised by framings, fitted with gold-coloured corner rosettes and a burgundy red silk wallpaper. The framing of the suite sliding doors is fitted on both sides with an Ionic pilaster with a wave pattern between them, also here fitted with gilded decorations. On either side of the doors are built-in cupboards. The fireplace is of grey marble in which three small allegorical reliefs with putti of white marble are set. In the fireplace stands a made-to-measure copper Art Deco wood stove. The ceiling is decorated with profiled and ornamented cornice and frieze mouldings (bead moulding, triglyphs, metopes and garlands) which are presumably executed in papier-mâché. The ceiling also contains several ceiling paintings on canvas. In the central painting is depicted a woman with four putti in a cloudy sky. In the corner medallions are seen among other things: musical instruments, hunting gear, fire and arrows and a jug surrounded with grapes. Around the central field are bands incorporated with painted plants and flower arrangements. In the wood-coloured back room is a simple black marble fireplace with Art Nouveau motifs and a painted stucco ceiling with frieze mouldings, corner and central ornaments. On the frieze mouldings are stencilled paintings applied, consisting of stylised rosettes and whiplash motifs. The ceiling is executed in a muted colour palette of green, ochre and brown. On this side too the suite doors are fitted with framing with panels and built-in cupboards.

High wainscotings have been applied to the walls, probably lincrusta wallcovering with a wood-grain imitation. Stiles and rails divide this wainscoting into panels which at the top edge is provided with oval medallions containing fruit baskets. The doorway from the kitchen to the hall is fitted with a leaded glass panel with in the centre an antique, oval pane featuring a heraldic coat of arms and the date 1630. Above this a leaded glass window. In the right corner of the kitchen is situated the built-in glass cabinet with next to it the hanging hood. The hall on the first storey likewise has doors with wood-grain imitation. On the wall by the stairs to the attic storey the same sandstone-imitation has been applied as that in the hall on the ground floor. The front room on the first storey is entirely surrounded by high, decorated oak wainscoting with accents in ebony. Above the wainscoting green imitation-gilt leather wallpaper with a decoration of yellow sprigs and flowers has been applied. The floor is laid with oak parquet and the ceiling is furnished with beams on consoles and keystones. The windows are entirely filled with leaded glass panels. The neo-Renaissance wainscoting is entirely provided with cornice panels in three layers with between them fluted pilasters and is at the top partially closed off by a carved frieze which extends across the chimney and fixed bookcase. On the corners of the bookcase half-columns with carved bases and Corinthian capitals have been placed, whilst the frieze itself is provided with reliefs of acanthus scrolls and carved heads. The chimney is situated directly opposite the bookcase. In front of the marble chimney jambs stand two marble columns on marble plinths with above them consoles, likewise of marble, which support the carved overmantel. The chimney jambs, plinths and consoles are executed in white marble with grey veining; the columns of marble with a purple tint. The wooden cornice or overmantel of the breast has the same ornamentation as the bookcase and corresponds entirely in form and height to the wainscoting. At the bottom of this cornice two brass handles have been attached. The chimney breast is likewise provided with green imitation-gilt leather wallpaper. Against the back wall of the chimney antique blue-and-white tiles have been applied with depictions of little ships, sea figures and fantastical beasts on either side of two columns of tiles in manganese colour with flowers, grapes, birds and putti. In the centre, in front of the tiles stands a cast-iron hearth plate featuring a Caritas representation. In front of the chimney lies on the floor a surface that is tiled with orange and blue glazed tiles in a diamond pattern. The blind doors to the back room interrupt the wainscoting. Like the bookcase they are flanked on both sides by Corinthian half-columns on a plinth. On the bases of the half-columns carved biblical representations have been applied. Under the wallpaper that has been applied on the side of the back room on the doors stands a stamp: "Henri Janmart Ameubelementen Leidschestraat 82 Amsterdam". The beams which have been applied under the original ceiling are decorative and are, like the beams in the vestibule, most probably hollow. Consoles which are provided with carved little men and griffins "support" the beams. Between the beams and the consoles carved keystones have been applied.

A special element is formed by the sawn-off access door from the landing to this room. This sawing was necessary to avoid breaking through the wainscoting, which is lower than the door. On the room side the door is virtually invisible. On the corridor side the sawn-off top is fixed to the frame. In the back room on the first storey there is a black marble fireplace. To the right is the door to the side room which has been converted into a bathroom. On the attic storey there are four rooms; originally the servants' rooms and storage space. In the room at the front several deep built-in cupboards are still present. Here also stands the wood- or coal-fired stove. To the right of the flue is the fire door to the neighbouring building. The side room at the front is provided with old wallpapers on jute. At the rear the room is fitted under the balustrade below the windows and at the ceiling with beadboard. Originally these were two rooms. The walls in both rooms are provided with identical striped wallpaper with a narrow decorative border below the ceiling.

Valuation

The residential house is of general national importance: -Because of the exceptionally rich interior finishing which follows the tradition of the residential house for the well-to-do bourgeoisie; -Because of the late application for that time of the neo-renaissance style for the facade, the interplay of that with the interior and the characteristic use of different styles in the interior; -Because of the large-scale application of high-quality imitation of costly materials; -Because of the great integrity of interior and exterior of all storeys; -Because of the reference to the pre-urban period when this part of Amsterdam still belonged to the municipality of Sloten.