Pierre Cuypers

Petrus Josephus Hubertus (Pierre) Cuypers ( Roermond , May 16 1827 - there, March 3 1921 ) was a Dutch architect . His name is often mentioned in the same breath as the National Museum ( 1876 - 1885 ) and the Central Station ( 1881 - 1889 ), both in Amsterdam . Cuypers, however, was primarily an architect of churches. He designed more than 100 churches, of which about 70 were built. Additionally Cuypers designed chapels and monasteries, and restored him dozens of ancient churches, where the restoration often coincided with an expansion and / or metamorphosis in Cuypers' style. Besides churches restored a large number of other types of monuments. He was also the designer of the throne on which the king every year on Budget Day pronounce the throne speech. This throne dates back to 1904. [1] It is important as the man who the architecture in the Netherlands revived [source?] and established a new tradition of craftsmanship. [source?] His influence was limited so not only are many own students, including architects like HP Berlage and Michel de Klerk are greatly influenced by Cuypers.

The year 2007-2008 was declared the Year Cuypers, this occasion of his 180th birthday. In September 2007 the first biography of Cuypers, written by Dr. Wies van Leeuwen .

Content
[verbergen]
 * 1 Biography
 * 1.1 Masonry vaults
 * 1.2 French influence
 * 1.2.1 Utrecht taboo
 * 1.3 Dommeister
 * 1.4 Rijksmuseum
 * 2 Trivia
 * 3 Awards and honors
 * 4 Selection of works (in chronological order)
 * 5 Students and staff
 * 6 Work in public collections (selection)
 * 7 See also
 * 8 Bibliography (selection)
 * 9 External links

[Biography edit ]
Cuypers was the son of a church painter and grew up in an environment where interest in art was encouraged. After training at the Municipal College in Roermond he left in 1844 to Antwerp to study at the Art Academy architecture. Here he was taught by French Andries Durlet , French Stoop and Ferdinand Berckmans, all pioneers of the Gothic Revival in Belgium. Cuypers was a good student; in 1849 he succeeded and he was awarded the Prix d'Excellence . An examination of his pieces was the design for a neo-Gothic church.

After a tour of the German Rhineland, where he included the under construction Cologne Cathedral visited, he returned to Roermond, where he was appointed in 1851 to the city architect. In 1852 he founded with F. Stoltzenberg the Workshop Cuypers Stoltzenberg, where ecclesiastical art and furniture pieces were manufactured. In Cuypers' house in the studio that he built in 1853, has now established the Cuypershuis.

Masonry vaults [ edit ]
Cuypers was the first Dutch architect immersed himself in the construction characteristics of the Gothic and even dared to put those principles into practice. He was the first architect since centuries weather masonry vaults applied. Its competitor, the German Carl Weber, originally from Cologne came but later also settled in Roermond, although showed a similar interest but was more conservative in applying his knowledge. Although Weber was probably the first in the Netherlands who built a neo-gothic church, Cuypers was that caused a real turnaround. Gradually the decorative use of Gothic forms was replaced by the real Gothic Revival with the architectural principles of the Gothic period would be at least as important as the forms. To increase his knowledge of Gothic followed Cuypers in 1854 some lessons from the French architectViollet-le-Duc, with whom he became friends. Because Cuypers had its own workshop for religious art, he was able to provide complete churches with interiors.

Cuypers work attracted the attention of Catholic writer Joseph Alberdingk Thyme, which Cuypers' neo-Gothic work in the magazine Dietsche Warande as the true Catholic architecture described. Indeed would be after the restoration of the episcopal hierarchy in 1853 the Gothic Revival quickly Catholic style par excellence.Alberdingk Thijms advertising Cuypers meant that the architect from 1859 also the major rivers were built, beginning with the Saint Laurentius church in Alkmaar.

One of his first major projects in which he applied the Gothic Revival was in the restoration of St. Peter's Chair Antiochiëkerk in Sittard . In 1857 destroyed by fire baroque spire was in 1861 replaced by a neo-Gothic design by Cuypers.

Pierre Cuypers was married twice: His first marriage was in 1850 with Rosalia Vandevin from Antwerp . They had two daughters, but mother and the second daughter died of tuberculosis in 1855 .

In 1859 Cuypers married Alberdingk Thijms sister Antoinette, who was a gifted singer. From this marriage were born two sons and three daughters, including sonJoseph, who was later also a famous architect.

French influence [ edit ]
Cuypers' ecclesiastical work was initially influenced by the 13th century French Gothic. According Alberdingk Thijm Gothic had to be rediscovered until the architecture could be further developed since the Reformation had caused a break in tradition. Because Alberdingk Thijm native late-Gothic regarded as inferior fracture had to be restored sooner, with the culmination of the Gothic. Spread over Netherlands Cuypers built numerous churches in which this French influence played a prominent role.Highlights from the first periods include the Saint Lambert in Veghel and the St. Catherine's Church in Eindhoven . In both cases, a medieval church had to make way for the new building. This is typical of Cuypers's early period: the rebuilding of the Catholic Church as an institution was more important than the preservation of the architectural history of the church. In the same light must also Cuypers' church in Oudenbosch be seen. In this case, however, he sinned by the commission a copy of the St. Peter's church to be built in Rome, against his own principles of neo-Gothic and honest use of materials. The result was a huge church in the so detested by himneoclassic style, complete with plaster and marble patterns painted wood.

In addition to the construction of many new churches and some secular buildings Cuypers led numerous restorations at home and abroad. Cuypers' views on restoration later often criticized; often kept restoration in the appearance of the building was severely compromised in order to meet an ideal image of the style or the idea how the original builders had designed the building. An early example is the extensive restoration of the Minster Church in Roermond, where Cuypers two original towers had been replaced by new, baroque tower had pillowcases and two other unfinished towers did increase significantly. Partly because of the controversy surrounding this restoration Cuypers decided in 1865 to leave his hometown and settle in Amsterdam, where he laid the Vondelstraat on private land, with houses and a church in its design, Vondelkerk . Amsterdam Cuypers built a total of six churches. In most cases, the architect had to optimum use of the limited space available. The largely wedgeMary Magdalene Church from 1889-1891 (demolished in 1968) was perhaps Cuypers's greatest achievement.

Utrecht taboo [ edit ]
From 1870 Cuypers further developed his style by taking into account influences from indigenous varieties of the Gothic. Partly this comes from the power of the St.Bernulphusgilde in the Archdiocese of Utrecht, under the protection of Msgr. Schaepman the Utrecht School of the Gothic Revival, especially the architect Alfred Tepe , had an important position. When Cuypers in this large area would bring in orders, he had to conform to the views of the guild. So he was on two occasions, respectively, in the St. Vitus Church in Bussum (1883) and the St. Joseph's Church in Groningen (1886), forced, idealized by the guild, Broederenkerk to Zutphen copy. In 1876, he already had his design for a church in Friesland Heeg must adapt by putting process into elements of the competing design Tepe.

Cuypers would never build a church in the province of Utrecht; Tepe got here almost total monopoly. Important religious works from Cuypers' second period, the St. Boniface Church in Leeuwarden, the St. Vitus Church in Hilversum, the St. Vitus Church in Bussum and St. Peter's Tires in Oisterwijk. From 1886 Cuypers had gradually work to his son Joseph Cuypers, which now often unclear which architect was responsible for what work. In 1894 exchanged Cuypers Amsterdam Valkenburg and got his son in charge of the Amsterdam office.

Dommeister [ edit ]
Also abroad Cuypers has built a number of churches, including three in Belgium and one in Norway. On 23 September 1873 Cuypers was appointed Dombaumeister of Mainz, a position he held until 1877. In that capacity, he restored and enlarged the cathedral in that city (he set in 1875 - 1879 an octagonal crossing tower on the site of the previously demolished dome Georg Moller) Cuypers and acted as advisor in construction cases of the bishop. As such, he advised on the restoration of a number of other churches in the diocese.

Domestically Cuypers was in 1875 a member of the Board of Government Advisors for the monuments of history and art. In this position he played a major role in the restoration of particularly medieval monuments. It was a powerful position where Cuypers could decide whether or not to grant government grants. This power he has used several times to medieval churches in Protestant hands a more original (ie Catholic) to give appearance, leading in some cases to conflicts. In 1879 the College was disbanded, but Cuypers remained in restorations an authority that nobody could ignore. Until after 1900, there have been very few restorations in the Netherlands where Cuypers was not involved, at least as a consultant. Like the Munster Church in Roermond was the line between restoration and new construction often very thin. A highlight is the reconstruction of Kasteel de Haar in Haarzuilens, a castle in romantic Gothic Revival-style which was widely cast. In later restorations Cuypers showed more respect for the then state of a building and the changes that had undergone a building since the construction period. Between 1888 and 1889 Cuypers was a single year president of the Society for the Promotion of Architecture .

Rijksmuseum [ edit ]
Cuypers Catholic unity was a major point of criticism when he was awarded the construction of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Although his designs were only partially neogothic and strong at the mannerism of the 17th century were based, the result was considered "too Catholic", which was unacceptable to proponents of Protestant domination. Cuypers designed for the Rijksmuseum also several outbuildings, in which he established his firm (in another building he founded an art school where he taught himself), and was actively involved with the collection. In a similar style to that of the Rijksmuseum Cuypers built also in Amsterdam Central Station. Has Apart from these two commands Cuypers designed little government buildings.

Until a very old age Cuypers remained active. His last church he built in 1914 in Flushing. In subsequent years, he carried out some restorations. He died in 1921 in Roermond. There is since 1930 next to the Minster Church Cuypers a monument made ​​by the sculptor August Falise . The tomb of Pierre Cuypers, restored in 2006, is located on the Old Cemetery, Chapel in 't Zand, in Roermond.

[Trivia Edit ]

 * In 1907 he was invited to become president of the Craft and Teekenschool in Roermond, he remained until his death in 1921. After training to new moved in 1960/61 was the new location Scholengemeenschap Dr. RK Cuypers baptized.
 * Public transport company Veolia named one of his Velios -treinen to Cuypers. [2]
 * In May 2008 there was a musical staged at the Theatre de Oranjerie, based on the life of Pierre Cuypers. The musical was written by Hans van Bergen, Music Hub Boesten and was directed by André van Hest. [3]
 * In 2007 appeared Cuypers code, an Alternate Reality Game on the life and work of Pierre Cuypers. The vast amount of background information and the game element made this ARG suitable for education. In January 2009 Part 2 appeared Cuypers of the Code. [4]

Awards and honors [ edit ]
The Dutch government has Cuypers awarded the Grand Cross in the Order of Orange-Nassau . He was such a small number of other very prominent artists alsoCommander of the Order of the Dutch Lion . Queen Wilhelmina granted him the rare Medal of Honour in Gold for Enterprise and Ingenuity associated with the House of Orange . The Catholic Cuypers was a Knight of the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great . Cuypers was Commander of Ie Class or Grand Officer of the SpanishOrder of Isabella the Catholic .

Selection of works (chronological) [ edit ]
The year represents the beginning of construction. See also: List of projects by Pierre Cuypers .

Pupils and staff [ edit ]
The great importance of Cuypers speaks partly from the large number of architects who were trained in his service. Architects early in their careers at the offices of Cuypers in Roermond and Amsterdam worked include:
 * KPC de Bazel
 * AC Bleijs
 * JW Boer Booms
 * AC Bolsius
 * AJN Boosten
 * E. Corbey
 * J.Th.J. Cuypers
 * Eduard Cuypers
 * CJH Franssen
 * JHH Groenendael
 * JHJ Kayser
 * PJC Klaarhamer
 * JJ Langelaar
 * JML Lauweriks
 * FA Ludewig
 * Evert Margry
 * Nicholas Miller sr.
 * Adolph JM Mulder
 * CH Peters
 * Wolter to Riele
 * François Schoubrouck
 * Jan Stuyt
 * HW Valk
 * Jos Tonnaer

Work in public collections (selection) [ edit ]

 * Cuypershuis , Roermond
 * Rijksmuseum Amsterdam [5]