PORTUGESE SYNAGOGUE
location
Mr. Visserplein 3, 1011 RD Amsterdam
client
Mr dr. E. F. Koldeweij, interior specialist at Netherlands Cultural Heritage Agency
phase 1: architectural paint research
March-April 2011
phase 2: writing of report
June 2012
mission
Architectural paint research in order to get a better understanding of the different historical paint finishes and phases on architectural elements in the synagogue
team members
Roos Keppler – main contracter, strategy, architectural paint research, paint sample analysis
Annefloor Schlotter – architectural paint research
Annelies van Loon – paint sample microscopy and analysis
In 2012 the Synagoge was officially opened by Her Majesty Beatrix. The synagogue underwent a major external and interior restoration. Next to this architectural paint research was carried out in order to get a better understanding of the historial paint phases in the synagogue.
Because this was a major project for the Netherlands Cultural Heritage Agency, the organization took the initiative of compiling a book based on the research done by the participating art and architectural historians and building archaeologists. For a short description of the research and conclusions please read the article.
The first grey finishing stages are identifiable at the bottom, followed by a greenish stage, a light blue stage (with a very large grain of blue pigment), and three faux wood stages. The faux wood stages can be identified by the dark brown covering layers. The top layer is the present-day turquoise green finish.
Stratigraphic study of the exterior of one of the ressaults of the partitions of the women’s galleries. The paint layers have been exposed one by one with a surgical scalpel; this provides an image of all the different paint layers that are present, from the most recent one (on the left) to the earliest grey finishing layer (on the right).
