Failed fantasy. |
First,
a little coda to the last blog. My optimistic impression of what was
happening in St Jansplein, vis-a-vis the possible replacement of
tarmac with cobblestones was way out. See the photograph to the left. SO
disappointing to have my romantic fantasy rejected!
But romantic fantasies re-surfaced with the annual Monumentdag which actually refers to the weekend. Saturday I visited 16 and17 Spinolarei, nearby, where huge renovations have been taking place for at least a year or more. It does seem more fun to visit renovations sites rather than perfectly formed, restored, lavishly accoutred ‘Big Houses’ though these have their place. A serious drawback for me is that I cannot understand the official guide book which is an impressive publication, full of information on the history of each property. This wonderful guide makes me want, more than anything else, to understand written Dutch.
Another drawback is, of course, my lack of understanding of spoken Dutch. Nonetheless, in No 16 Spinolarei, I picked up a few points and the kind guide added occasional English remarks to help. I just loved No 16, a building from 1280 when it had a wooden front construction with brick at the back. It fronts the canal and the whole house [as well as No 17] will be rather posh apartments in 2018. One, on the first floor will be magnificent for there are mediaeval flourishes evident and above that first
floor, the beams and mediaeval construction still remains, patched by liberal amounts of modern wood replacement. There are Flemish
equivalents to the beautiful Crown Posts on the top floor
The tiny faces at the base of each arch, are modern replacements the originals having been stolen long ago, as were the fireplaces. |
Number 17 enthralled much less; although only slightly younger than No. 16, the evidence felt
eighteenth century and indeed, both houses had been 'joined' into one big house in the eighteenth century apparently. The crowning glory was the communal cellars, with arches, mediaeval bricks and walls and space enough for a huge amount of merchandise in earlier times. Around 750 years after the original construction, it seems stunning that modern apartments can be carved and polished from these grand decaying monuments.
Sunday, to find the
atelier of Pol Standaerts on Witteleertouwerstraat. An impressive
17th century building, relatively undistinguished from the
outside but interesting within. I found it difficult, without Dutch,
to pick up much information about the building and beautiful garden
area itself, but of the resident firm of Pol Standaerts, there was
much to see and learn. Founded in the mid seventeenth century in its
present premises, Pol Standaerts produces a bewildering and highly
decorative variety of plaster casts, statuettes, stylised
embellishments for high ceilings, like the work it has done over the
centuries for the Grand Hotel Casselburgh. Alfred Gilbert,
designer of Eros in Piccadilly Circus, took his design for the winged messenger, to Brugge, to Standaerts, to have
it realised. I was particularly interested just to discover a plasterwork atelier in Brugge like that of the Atelier Lorenzi in Paris from
where I recently bought my much-loved L’Inconnue de la Seine, now
smiling serenely down from my study wall.
Atelier Pol Standaerts |
My second Sunday
visit was to Kraanplein 4, a building I often pass and had noticed
under extensive renovation for perhaps the last year. This Huis de
Cluuse was built around 1270-90, a fact only fairly recently
established after dendrochronology had been done on the wealth of
beams. Hitherto, a fifteenth century date for building had been
assumed. In fact, in comparison to some of the buildings on offer
during this Open Monumentdag, it is relatively small and modest but
its wealth of old brick and ancient wood make it special. There is a
spiral wooden staircase which I had assumed must be contemporary but
which is in fact, nineteenth century. I loved it that the guide was
able to show us three paintings, one by Memling, [1430-1495] one by
Pourbus [1523-1584] and one other, which shows Kraanplein 4 in the miniature view of the
background. The present owner intends to live there and start a small
coffee house/bistro there within an unbelievable three weeks! Further
contemporary investigation is obviously warranted!
Sunday afternoon to
Hoogstraat 28, the only upmarket property which I chose, the other
four being all houses in the process of renovation. I had often seen
a gorgeous little pagoda above the Groenerei and wished I could go
inside it and that was the reason for choosing this particular house on
Hoogstraat. It is beautiful, neo-classical with a perfect symmetry in
design, large mirrors, ancestral portraits, ornate and gilded
plasterwork, a beautifully-balanced staircase, large pillars with
gilded collars and views over the classical garden to die for. It was
built between 1821 and 1826 in the Empire style, though, mysteriously
to me, the windows and doors date from 1910. The garden itself was a
joy with miniature hedges of box clipped with military precision, more
curves and again, more symmetry with the focus on the afore-mentioned
gem of a canal-side pagoda. Heaven. I did not enjoy the visit however
beyond the considerable aesthetic pleasure as the guide was
interminable, none of the resident family was present, only three
ground-floor salons and the garden were open. Of course, if one spoke
Dutch, it would have been more bearable but there was a distinct
feeling of ‘de haut en bas’ and the complete lack of private
possessions and ornaments suggested a slight nervousness about what
the sans-culottes might get up to! But the pagoda was perfect
Love the discreet, tasselled rope. BUT a perfect staircase |
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