Philips Vingboons

Philips Vingboons
Born c. 1607
Amsterdam, Dutch Republic
Died 1678
Amsterdam, Dutch Republic
Nationality Dutch
Work
Buildings Herengracht 168
Kloveniersburgwal 95

Philips Vingboons (or Vinckboons, Vinckeboons, Vinckbooms) (c. 1607–1678) was a Dutch architect. He was part of the school of Jacob van Campen, that is, Dutch Classicism. Vingboons was especially highly regarded in his native city of Amsterdam.

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Biography

Philips Vingboons was born in circa 1607 in Amsterdam in the Dutch Republic.[1] His father David Vinckboons was a painter from the Southern Netherlands who had fled from Antwerp to Amsterdam during the Dutch Revolt.[1] Vingboons had nine brothers and sisters.[2] His brother Johannes Vingboons was a painter[3] and his brother Justus Vingboons also was an architect.[2]

Vingboons started his career as a painter in the family business with his father and siblings, where he was educated with cartography, mathematics, architecture, and classics. He later became an architect, and he was possibly a student of the architect Jacob van Campen.[2]

Vingboons died in 1678[2] and was buried on 10 February 1678 in Amsterdam.

Architecture

In contrast with Jacob van Campen, Vingboons knew how to fit classicism creatively with the typically narrow city houses of Amsterdam. Philips Vingboons is well named as the inventor of the Amsterdam "Halsgevel" (literally neck front) type of facade, since in 1638 he designed the oldest surviving "Halsgevel" in Amsterdam, at Herengracht 168. Indeed, it is even sometimes called the "Vingboonsgevel" after him. It was widely imitated in the period of Dutch Classicism (1640–1665) on a grand scale. On simpler houses, it appeared as a simple brick pilaster-halsgevel, with a few restrained ornaments - this type is named a "Vingboons-imitatie" (Vingboons-imitation).

Another of his designs was Kloveniersburgwal 95, in 1642, one of the most finely proportioned classical-school city-palaces in Amsterdam. Philips Vingboons lived during the high point of Amsterdam's power and wealth, halfway through the 17th century, and became the city's most important architect and designer. He especially designed houses since, as a Catholic, he was passed over for state commissions. In 1648 and 1674 a book was published with Philips Vingboons' designs ("Afbeeldsels"), through which we have a good idea of his work.

Works

Sources

External links