Arti et Amicitiae is an association for artists and art lovers, established in 1839. Their aim is to promote the visual arts and to improve the social and economic position of artists in society. The association was (and is) important in the Dutch art world - in 1893 the A&A organised one of the first retrospectives of Van Gogh's work, and in 1876 they were involved in awarding the commission for the new Beurs - the Amsterdam Stock Exchange - to Berlage.
Since 1840, the association has been based in this imposing neoclassical building on the Rokin, at the corner of Spui. The building is monumental - all ionic columns, classical statues and topped by a pediment bearing the A&A crest.
The entrance to the A&A doesn't look promising: all a bit run down, if truth be told. Has the association now become an artists' doss house I wondered. On peeping in through the interior doors, someone buzzed the door open, and so I cautiously ventured in.
It was like entering another world. The Entrance Hall is a thing of beauty - all polished wood panelling, checkered floor tiles, stained glass and gleaming chandeliers. I had read that the staircase was designed by H. P. Berlage (he who designed the Beurs), and here it is in all its elegant glory.
The newel post is particularly attractive, headed by this seductive female form.
At the top of the staircase are panels listing past A & A Presidents - all the big names of Dutch architecture are there: Salm, Olie, Kromhout, Cuypers, de Bazel, Berlage... Members over the years have included important Dutch artists too, including Jan Sluiters, Jan Toorop, Isaac Israels, Laurens Alma-Tadema and the great Piet Mondriaan.
As I stood gawping at the staircase, a very helpful custodian greeted me and invited me to view the meeting room and the exhibition upstairs. So strange that this place is open to the public at weekends and yet so poorly publicised and signposted.
The A&A Society Meeting Room is extremely atmospheric - one can picture artists and architects gathered around the large tables in lively discussions. Indeed I returned on a weekday lunchtime and the place was packed out with members.
Much of the furniture is original, some designed by Berlage, including these unusual round backed chairs (very comfortable as well as good-looking).
To one side of the Society room is a smaller public room, now known as the smoking room (I didn't need to be told this - this room reeks of ashtrays!).
On climbing the stairway, there is a different feel altogether. This is a brilliant white, completely modern gallery space featuring current Dutch artists. The exhibition I saw was very good, very varied, and (to my mind) the pieces were not badly priced. Again a puzzle why there isn't greater publicity. Even searching the A&A newsletter and the website I have not found any reference to these works.
So there we have it. A small but perfectly formed treasure hidden away in a very busy place. Admission was free and so I would advise anyone with an interest in the designs of Berlage, modern art or historic Amsterdam art hangouts to pop in on a weekend afternoon and have a look.
In a way, it pleased me to think of all the big guns of Dutch architecture meeting in this splendid place. At least they could support each other, as most of the great and truly revolutionary architectural designs of Amsterdam were ripped to shreds by critics at the time of unveiling.
Central Station? Too Catholic! Blocks our nice view of the harbour!
The Beurs? Too plain! Too boxy! Looks like an abattoir!
De Bazel? Too big! Too striped! Too monumental!
Tuschinski Theater? Too flamboyant! Too fancy! A hotch-potch of styles!
The Stopera - Not in-keeping with its surroundings! Too expensive!
The new Stedelijk Gallery? A ridiculous bathtub!
And so on... Maybe this is why the A&A like to keep keep themselves to themselves!
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