(Bonas Essay by M. Taverne, R. van Beekum; abridged version) M.G. Tétar van Elven (1803-1880) Marinus Gerardus Tétar van Elven was born in Amsterdam on January 20, 1803. He was the eldest son of Henri Louis van Elven, who was chief commissioner at the Department of the Interior and headed a family of art practitioners. Jean Baptist, the second son, became famous as an engraver and painter. The youngest son Paul Constantin Dominique, trained in engraving, gained fame for his painting. Martinus Gerardus was less interested in fine art, however, and he became skilled in architecture. Martinus Gerardus married Francoise Abadie and they had 15 children. Education and career At the age of 15, Tétar van Elven entered the Academy of Antwerp, where he stayed for five years and was taught by a number of well-known masters. Bourla taught him in architecture, Van Bree and Geel in figure drawing, and Herreijns in perspective. Tétar van Elven was apparently a good student, as he earned a number of prizes in the various subjects of his training. After the Academy, he was appointed state superintendent of water in 1823 and conservator of the Pommereuil to Antoing canal in Hainaut in 1829. After the revolt of 1830, Tétar van Elven rejoined Waterstaat and was now charged with managing the Zuiderzeesche road. In 1832 he was appointed city architect and also director of architecture at the city drawing school in Harderwijk. Soon, however, Tétar van Elven made a substantial promotion when he was appointed director (head lecturer) of architecture at the Royal Academy of Arts in Amsterdam by Royal Decree of March 7, 1835. He would hold this position until 1869. It is also in this city where he lived the longest and built the most. The art societies In addition to his work as an architect and teacher at the Academy, Tétar van Elven was an active member of several (art) societies. In addition to his involvement in the founding of the Maatschappij tot Bevordering der Bouwkunst, he was, as will be discussed below, one of the founders of the artists' society Arti et Amicitiae. On September 9, 1839, at the opening of the new building of Artis, Tétar van Elven suggested the idea of founding an artists' society. If practitioners of natural science had succeeded in establishing a zoo through private initiative, then practitioners of the visual arts could also establish their own institution. Tétar van Elven's idea was well received by the other directors of the National Academy of Visual Arts and concrete plans were made. It was decided to hold a founding meeting on Dec. 3 at "De Karseboom" in Amsterdam. The five directors of the Academy: Jan Willem Pieneman, Andre Benoit Barreau Taurel, Jan Adam Kruseman, Louis Royer and Martinus Gerardus Tétar van Elven thus became the founders of Arti et Amicitiae. Tétar van Elven continued to play an important role in the history of Arti thereafter. Indeed, he was responsible for the first renovation of the society's housing in Amsterdam, where he realized the famous art hall. After this renovation, Tétar van Elven was appointed building commissioner, where he was responsible for the structural situation of the building and its properties. Eclecticism The Tétar van Elven buildings are very diverse in style, although they can rightly be classified as eclecticism. This style, whose name derives from the Greek word for select, is sometimes defined as the application of ornaments from all kinds of styles and countries, which, together with newly conceived details, are incorporated into an entirely new characteristic nineteenth-century architectural style, in which sometimes rich use is made of cast iron. As early as the 1940s, Tétar van Elven worked in this style, making him one of the first in the Netherlands to do so. Especially at the beginning of this century, eclecticism was scorned and was immediately associated with unimaginative and tastelessness, the typical ills of the nineteenth century. Tétar van Elven adapted the style of the designs to the assignments, seeking to find the right solution each time. Precisely eclecticism, due to the lack of strict rules, lent itself well to the creation of unique designs adapted to the situation. Through the creative use of different ornaments, Tétar van Elven is one of the most important representatives of this style, together with Cornelis Outshoorn, W.N. Rose, J. De Greef and A.N. Godefroy. The oeuvre The oeuvre of Tétar van Elven is very varied; he did not specialize in one type of building, but designed country houses, church facades as well as monuments. Occasionally he participated in competitions, such as the one for the building for the 1851 World's Fair in London, where, chosen from 200 participants, he received a higher honorable award along with 18 others. He also participated in the competition for the Museum Willem I, but unfortunately no drawings of this are known. The drawings by Tétar van Elven that have survived clearly show that he had a very good training in drawing. This is especially evident in the large number of drawings that Tétar van Elven made for the Henriettehofje in Amsterdam. Some of the drawings are very technical in nature and many are very detailed with even a sewer cover being drawn in detail. Occasionally the drawings go beyond construction drawings, such as the painted design of a coat of arms, painted in bright colors. The fact that Tétar van Elven even indicates the types of plantings on the plans shows his commitment to his designs. Tétar van Elven designed not only buildings, but also numerous other things such as lanterns, a refugee mound, a medal and the like. Furthermore, he enjoyed a great reputation as a renovation architect. Tétar van Elven's written oeuvre is not very extensive. A number of times he explains his own designs in magazines, without any modesty. Influence Tétar van Elven's designs cannot be called spectacular; they were not large prestigious projects that brought him international fame, but rather designs executed on a modest scale, which were influential because of their good effect. In a number of respects, however, Tétar van Elven can be called innovative, and his designs encouraged others to emulate him. The art gallery at Arti et Amicitiae was Tétar van Elven's most influential design for two reasons. First, the corbels were the first cast-iron structural members in the Netherlands, and second, the lighting system was innovative and influential. After its opening in 1841, people remained satisfied with the exhibition space, and it was frequently referred to as a good example of a museum hall. Decision Tétar van Elven was a highly respected architect in his time. He was well educated and held several important positions. He was active in a number of (art) societies and was the teacher of a number of talented architects, including Leliman. But most important, of course, was his acclaimed oeuvre. It may be noted that Tétar van Elven clearly did not lack a sense of innovation. The use of cast iron and hot water facilities and the fact that he was one of the first to work in the style of eclecticism clearly demonstrate this. Yet the fame did not last very long. In 1902, for example, an article entitled "forgotten master builders" appeared in which he was mentioned. Eclecticism was out and the master builders who worked in this style had been forgotten. As a result, his work was considered of little value and few works by Tétar van Elven have survived. The art hall in Arti et Amicitiae has been altered beyond recognition, and there are also the lanterns on Dam Square, the Hartelust country house, the Odeon and the facade of the Mennonite Church. But few know the architect of these. Education: Royal Academy of Art Antwerp/1818-1823 Additional positions: Rijkswaterstaat Zuidelijke Nederland/opziener/1823;canal Pommereuil-Antoing Henegouwen/opziener/1829;Rijkswaterstaat in the Southern Netherlands//1830;Architecture class at the Harderwijk city school/director/1832;Harderwijk/urban architect/1832-1836;Royal Academy of Fine Arts Amsterdam/director of architecture/1836-1869;Arti et Amicitiae/member/1839;Maatschappij tot Bevordering der Bouwkunst/member/1842;Genootschap Architectura et Amicitia Six sketch competitions/juror member/1866 Honors: Royal Institute of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts/member of the fourth class department of architecture/1846-1851;Order of the Dutch Lion/knight/1860;Genootschap Architectura et Amicitia/ honorary member/1855-1870