Museum De Hallen, Haarlem
Encyclopedia
Museum De Hallen is the name of the exhibition space on the Grote Markt, Haarlem
, the Netherlands
, where modern and contemporary art is on display in alternating presentations. The emphasis is on contemporary photograph and video presentations, with the focus on Man and society. As an organisation, De Hallen falls under the Frans Hals Museum
.
De Hallen consists of three different buildings, the Vleeshal
(Flesher's hall) on the east side and the Verweyhal (named for Kees Verwey) on the west side are two large "halls" sandwiching the small entrance building. All three buildings are National Heritage sites today.
De Vleeshal is an excellent example of the Dutch renaissance
, with renaissance ornaments being applied on a basic Gothic structure (floor plan and outer walls). The renaissance forms include pilasters, rustica, Tuscan (interior) pillars, scrollwork (above the cellar entrances) and obelisks. Sample prints by Hans Vredeman de Vries
from Antwerp provided a source of inspiration for this.
De Vleeshal was built by Lieven de Key
, the town architect, commissioned by the city government, which judging by the finished building had a substantial treasury at the time. It remained a meat hall all the way into the 19th century.
The building later fulfilled a totally different function; from 1840 to 1885 it served as a storehouse for a garrison quartered in Haarlem. Later the building served as a Public Records Office, and after that as a depot for the municipal library. During the Second World War the building was occupied by the Distribution Service.
After WWII, the Mayor and Aldermen decreed that the building should become an exhibition hall, and it has remained so until today. The Frans Hals Museum organises alternating exhibitions of contemporary art on two storeys, and the Archeological Museum is in the cellar.
.
In the second half of the 19th century the earlier building of the drama society, which was on the same spot, was too small. In 1876 the society held a competition for a new design. The Amsterdam
architect A.J. van Beek won, and his plan was carried out. The building was occupied in 1880. Almost simultaneously, the gentleman's society had financial problems. Perhaps the building was a bit too prestigious. The gentlemen initially tried to alleviate the situation by raising their membership contribution. That hardly helped, because the number of members declined. As the increased contribution did not solve the problem, the ground floor was rented out as a shop. This did not help either, and ultimately the gentlemen were forced to sell the building to the city, which became the new owner for 125,000 guilder
s.
The society building was converted in 1924 into the Spaarnebank. The safe was on the ground floor; offices were set up on the first floor.
More renovations were carried out in 1978. Since then, the first floor houses the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Planning Authority and the City Architect.
Fourteen years later, in 1992, the building was renovated again. With support from the Kees Verwey Foundation, the first floor received a new name: the Verweyhal. The former city architect Wiek Röling made a design for the new layout together with architect Jan Bernard. Today, the Verweyhal still has a museological function. The Frans Hals Museum displays its collection of modern art and organises contemporary art exhibitions (especially photography focused on man and society).
The building is in the neoclassical style
: this was very popular at the end of the 19th century, but later fell out of fashion. In the first half of the 20th century, the building received a great deal of criticism. It was considered much too large and pompous. ‘An object of general contempt,’ according to the description of the distinguished gentlemen’s society. The building was called ‘an unsuccessful box of blocks’ in 1947 by the engineer G. Friedhoff, who wanted to demolish the building and replace it with traditional façades. Opinions about the building changed in the 1970s, and for the first time, words of praise were heard. Today, the building is an official monument.
Grote Markt, Haarlem
The Grote Markt is the central market square of Haarlem, the Netherlands.According to the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica;...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, where modern and contemporary art is on display in alternating presentations. The emphasis is on contemporary photograph and video presentations, with the focus on Man and society. As an organisation, De Hallen falls under the Frans Hals Museum
Frans Hals Museum
The Frans Hals Museum is a hofje and municipal museum in Haarlem, Netherlands. The museum was founded in 1862 in the newly renovated former cloister located in the back of the Haarlem city hall known as the Prinsenhof...
.
De Hallen consists of three different buildings, the Vleeshal
Vleeshal
The Vleeshal is a historical building dating from 1603 on the Grote Markt in Haarlem, Netherlands.-History:Vleeshal means meat-hall; it was the only place in Haarlem where fresh meat was allowed to be sold from 1604 to the 18th century. The ox-heads on the front of the building indicate the...
(Flesher's hall) on the east side and the Verweyhal (named for Kees Verwey) on the west side are two large "halls" sandwiching the small entrance building. All three buildings are National Heritage sites today.
De Vleeshal building
The Vleeshal was built in the years 1602 to 1605 and was originally a ‘meat hall’ where butchers sold their goods. The heads of bulls and rams on the façades are reminders of the original function of the building. It was considered one of the sites to see in Haarlem in the 1911 encyclopedia Britannica:De Vleeshal is an excellent example of the Dutch renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
, with renaissance ornaments being applied on a basic Gothic structure (floor plan and outer walls). The renaissance forms include pilasters, rustica, Tuscan (interior) pillars, scrollwork (above the cellar entrances) and obelisks. Sample prints by Hans Vredeman de Vries
Hans Vredeman de Vries
Hans Vredeman de Vries was a Dutch Renaissance architect, painter, and engineer. Vredeman de Vries is known for his publication in 1583 on garden design and his books with many examples on ornaments and perspective ....
from Antwerp provided a source of inspiration for this.
De Vleeshal was built by Lieven de Key
Lieven de Key
Lieven de Key was a famous Dutch renaissance architect in the Netherlands, mostly known today for his works in Haarlem.-Biography:...
, the town architect, commissioned by the city government, which judging by the finished building had a substantial treasury at the time. It remained a meat hall all the way into the 19th century.
The building later fulfilled a totally different function; from 1840 to 1885 it served as a storehouse for a garrison quartered in Haarlem. Later the building served as a Public Records Office, and after that as a depot for the municipal library. During the Second World War the building was occupied by the Distribution Service.
After WWII, the Mayor and Aldermen decreed that the building should become an exhibition hall, and it has remained so until today. The Frans Hals Museum organises alternating exhibitions of contemporary art on two storeys, and the Archeological Museum is in the cellar.
Verweyhal building
The Verweyhal is next to the Vleeshal on the Grote Markt in Haarlem. The little ‘fish house’ in between – once the home of the servant of the fish market – serves as the entrance for both Halls. The Verweyhal was built in the 19th century as a gentlemen’s society of the former drama society, later a cultural social club, Trou moet BlyckenTrou moet Blycken
Trou Moet Blycken is a historical chamber of rhetoric over 500 years old and currently a gentlemen's club on the Grote Houtstraat in Haarlem, Netherlands.-History:...
.
In the second half of the 19th century the earlier building of the drama society, which was on the same spot, was too small. In 1876 the society held a competition for a new design. The Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
architect A.J. van Beek won, and his plan was carried out. The building was occupied in 1880. Almost simultaneously, the gentleman's society had financial problems. Perhaps the building was a bit too prestigious. The gentlemen initially tried to alleviate the situation by raising their membership contribution. That hardly helped, because the number of members declined. As the increased contribution did not solve the problem, the ground floor was rented out as a shop. This did not help either, and ultimately the gentlemen were forced to sell the building to the city, which became the new owner for 125,000 guilder
Guilder
Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch gulden — from Old Dutch for 'golden'. The guilder originated as a gold coin but has been a common name for a silver or base metal coin for some centuries...
s.
The society building was converted in 1924 into the Spaarnebank. The safe was on the ground floor; offices were set up on the first floor.
More renovations were carried out in 1978. Since then, the first floor houses the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Planning Authority and the City Architect.
Fourteen years later, in 1992, the building was renovated again. With support from the Kees Verwey Foundation, the first floor received a new name: the Verweyhal. The former city architect Wiek Röling made a design for the new layout together with architect Jan Bernard. Today, the Verweyhal still has a museological function. The Frans Hals Museum displays its collection of modern art and organises contemporary art exhibitions (especially photography focused on man and society).
The building is in the neoclassical style
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
: this was very popular at the end of the 19th century, but later fell out of fashion. In the first half of the 20th century, the building received a great deal of criticism. It was considered much too large and pompous. ‘An object of general contempt,’ according to the description of the distinguished gentlemen’s society. The building was called ‘an unsuccessful box of blocks’ in 1947 by the engineer G. Friedhoff, who wanted to demolish the building and replace it with traditional façades. Opinions about the building changed in the 1970s, and for the first time, words of praise were heard. Today, the building is an official monument.