Researcher: Loes Opgenhaffen
Supervisor: Dr. Madelon Simons
The starting point of the 3D reconstruction of these 16th century remarkable houses is the bird’s eye view woodcut from 1544 made by the painter-printmaker and cartographer Cornelis Anthonisz from Amsterdam. Not all houses on the map will be modeled in detail. On ground of literature and other sources first The Paradise (‘t Paradijs) on the Kalverstraat will be reconstructed. This was the home of the family of Pompejus Occo, banker and humanist. After completion of the reconstruction of the exterior and superstructure of The Paradise, the interpretation of this reconstruction together with the sources about the inhabitants, their housekeeping and guests, should lead to the reconstruction of the interior of this house and the reconstruction of the adjacent house at ‘t Rokin, which was connected by a small yard to The Paradise. In this adjacent house at ‘t Rokin the Danish King Christian IV and his entourage witnessed the spectacle on the river Amstel that was organized especially for them. Three-dimensional insight in the size and layout of Occo’s property in relation to the street in which he was living and the chapel he attended, will provide a cohesive knowledge of Amsterdam about 1550. At the same time the reconstructions will bring some perspective about the King’s entourage, because Occo’s house could not have been this big to receive all these people.