Geelvinck-Hinlopen Museum

The Museum Geelvinck-Hinlopen, located in Amsterdam, is a fascinating testament to the opulent life of merchants in the 17th and 18th centuries. The museum is housed in the historic Geelvinck Villa, built in 1687 for Albert Geelvinck and his wife Sara Hinlopen, both members of influential families involved in trade with the East and West India Companies. The villa was designed to showcase the wealth and prestige of the Geelvinck family, with a series of beautifully decorated rooms and an Italian-style garden that reflected the tastes and fashions of the time. The entrance to the museum is through the former carriage house on Keizersgracht, from which one accesses a garden leading to the main building. This carefully tended garden features a cascade of roses in summer and vibrant autumn colors, creating an enchanting environment that introduces visitors to the magnificence of the palace. The main floor of the villa includes four historic rooms, each furnished in styles ranging from Rococo to Neoclassical, displaying original furniture, paintings, tapestries, and other art objects from the period. The Red Room, decorated in Rococo style, features fixed mirrors and a high ceiling adorned with paintings by artists such as Gillis d’Hondecoeter and Daniel Seghers. The Blue Room, on the other hand, is decorated in Neoclassical style with wallpaper panels painted by Egbert van Drielst, depicting romantic landscapes inspired by Jacob van Ruisdael. The Library is another gem of the museum, with magnificently decorated ceilings and a collection of ancient books that reflect the cultural and intellectual interests of the Geelvinck family. The leather armchairs and dark wood furnishings create an atmosphere of refined elegance. One of the most fascinating rooms in the museum is the Chinese Room, decorated with silk panels painted with floral motifs and oriental scenes. This room, probably used by Sara Hinlopen to receive guests for tea, represents the taste for exoticism and refinement that characterized the aristocracy of the time. An interesting anecdote concerns the restoration of the villa, during which numerous architectural details hidden under layers of paint and plaster were discovered. These restorations have allowed the original beauty of the decorations and frescoes to be brought to light, offering visitors an authentic and immersive experience.