Bartolotti House Amsterdam

a merchant's house with a beautiful facade

The Bartolotti House is a 17th century canal house on the Herengracht, on a location where rich citizens had their houses built alongside the canals.

Huis Bartolotti (1618-1621) on the Herengracht, built in a curve of the canal

History

One of these rich merchants was Michael de Pauw, who in 1638 granted to Philip Vingboons - at that time one of Amsterdam's foremost architects - the commission to construct the building on the site of Herengracht 168.

The neighbouring house was built in 1617, as a commission from Willem van den Heuvel, who had changed his name to Guillelmo Bartolotti. He was the heir to Giovanni Battista Bartolotti, a rich businessman from Bologna who was married to the aunt of Willem van den Heuvel.

Built in a curve

The Bartolotti House has two nods to follow the bend of the Herengracht. It has an exuberant, richly decorated and slightly curved facade, one of the most beautiful ones on the canals.

The two-part merchant's house in Dutch Renaissance style was probably built after a design by the Amsterdam city sculptor and architect Hendrick de Keyser.

Renaissance style

One special innovative feature of the house is the neck-gable, the first that was built in Amsterdam. On the roof are two large corner chimneys.

Isaac de Moucheron and Jacob de Wit painted the walls and ceilings of both rooms in the front house. The former painted the buildings and landscapes, the latter the figures.

Rococo hall

In 1755 a large annex was added to this notable building in which you find the highlight of this museum house: the rococo hall. It is one of the most beautiful halls of the Herengracht. The client of this extension was the wealthy whaling ship-owner Jan van Tarelink.

After extensive restoration in 2016, the ground floor and basement were converted into Museumhuis Bartolotti.