Hendrick de Keyser (15 May 1565 – 15 May 1621) was a Dutch sculptor, merchant in Belgium bluestone, and architect who was instrumental in establishing a late Renaissance form ofMannerism changing into Baroque.[1] Most of his works appeared inAmsterdam, some elsewhere in theDutch Republic. He was the father ofPieter andThomas de Keyser andWillem, and the uncle of Huybert de Keyser, who became his apprentices and all involved in building, decoration and architecture.
Hendrick de Keyser was born inUtrecht, and the son of a cabinetmaker. He grew up in an expropriated monastery, the Catalijne Convent. As a young man he was apprenticed to the engineerCornelis Bloemaert (the elder). In 1591 he followed Bloemaert to Amsterdam and married Beyken van Wildre from Antwerp. Soon he set to work as an independent artist. In 1595 he was appointed city stonemason and sculptor. In 1603 the working on theZuiderkerk stopped but they resumed construction in 1606, when they agreed with the church board.[2][3] Meanwhile, he visited London, together withCornelis Danckerts de Ry to study theRoyal Exchange, London. There he contractedNicholas Stone? Perhaps they met withInigo Jones, but he does not appear to have turned seriously to architecture until after hisItalian tour of 1614.[4]
In 1608 De Keyser soldpetit Granit which was used for theweigh house in Hoorn; he also designed thedormers on the rooftop.[5] From 1609 De Keyser lived and worked atGroenburgwal, near Amstel.[6] De Keyser was visited byHans van Steenwinckel the Younger and his brotherLorenz from Denmark who may have asked him for advice or training.[7] Quite a few of his siblings lived in the area. His brothers Jacob who was a cabinetmaker, and Aert a timber merchant, and Huybert his nephew all lived nearJodenbreestraat in a sidestreet. (In 1639 the heirs sold the house to the sephardic community.) De Keyser was friendly with the painterCornelis Ketel, whom he visited when Ketel made his will; both wereArminian orRemonstrant.[8][9] De Keyser's relations with Ketel are illustrated by the portraits Ketel painted of the architect.[10][11]
Hendrick is famous for a number of important buildings, gates and towers which belong to the core of Dutch historic sites. Today theZuiderkerk (1603/6-1611) and accompanying tower (1614), theCity Hall (Delft) (1618-1620), theWesterkerk (1620-1631) are among the historic buildings which provide important insights into De Keyser's work. He cooperated with Hendrick Jacobsz. Staets en Cornelis Danckertsz.HisCommodity Exchange of 1608-1613 was pulled down in the 19th century. TheEast India House in Amsterdam was most likely also designed by him; later extensions were done by his sons. In the year 1616 he renovated theBank van Lening. The renovation of theWaag took place in 1617 according to his design; in 1619 theMunttoren was prepared for adding a clock.
Hendrick de Keyser's projects in Amsterdam during the early decades of the 17th century helped establish a lateMannerist style referred to as "Amsterdam Renaissance". He could be influenced byPaul Vredeman de Vries. The Amsterdam Renaissance style deviates in many respects from sixteenth-centuryItalian Renaissance architecture. Classical elements such aspilasters,cornices andpediments were used on a large scale, but mainly as decorative elements. De Keyser never slavishly followed the tenets of classical architecture as laid down in the Italian treatises bySerlio andPalladio. His version came to full bloom at the end of the second decade of the 17th century, and set the stage for the laterDutch classical phase ofJacob van Campen andPieter Post.
Apart from pursuing a career as an architect, De Keyser remained active as a sculptor. He designed the tomb ofWilliam the Silent for theNieuwe Kerk (Delft) (1614-1623). However, De Keyser did not live to see the finished product. His son Pieter, who inherited his tools and designs, completed his work.[12] In 1631Salomon de Bray included the architect's most important sketches, based on mathematical regularity, in his book ’Architectura Moderna’.[13]
De Keyser's career was not limited to Amsterdam, and his international contacts helped him to keep in touch with the mainstream of European architecture. In 1607 the Amsterdam city magistrates sent him to England; it is believed he worked withInigo Jones?[citation needed] When De Keyser and Danckerts returned to AmsterdamNicholas Stone, joined them. For several years Stone worked with De Keyser and even became his son-in-law in 1613. His grandsonHenry Stone (painter) studied with Thomas de Keyser. De Keyser died on his birthday and was buried in the nearbyZuiderkerk.
Works attributed to Hendrick de Keyser:
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