Rare 19th-century Empire wallpaper restored to historic Amersfoort Muurhuizen building
A rare piece of early 1800s Empire-style wallpaper, discovered in 1958, has returned to its original home in Amersfoort’s iconic Muurhuizen building. After decades in museums and a local cultural center, the fragile artwork is now back on display, offering the public a glimpse of Dutch heritage.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Wallpaper Origin | Around 1800, Empire style (French) |
| Discovery Year | 1958 |
| Location | Muurhuizen 1-3, Amersfoort |
| Current Owner | Uitgeverij Deviant |
| Dimensions | 1.5m x 3.5m |
| Preservation | Climate-controlled cabinet |
| Other Sections | Held by Museum Flehite & Centraal Museum |
| Public Access | Open during events like Open Monumentendagen |
The municipality of Amersfoort plays a key role in preserving and promoting local heritage, including monuments like the Muurhuizen. By loaning historical artifacts to private owners, the city ensures public access while safeguarding fragile cultural treasures.
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1800s Empire wallpaper returns to the Muurhuizen building
A piece of very rare wallpaper from around 1800 is once again hanging in the building where it was discovered in 1958. Nearly 70 years ago, this special, painted wallpaper in the Empire style came to light during a renovation of one of the famous Amersfoort Muurhuizen buildings. After hanging in the Eemhuis for several years, the wallpaper returned this week to the building where it once belonged, following a restoration.
The monumental building Muurhuizen 1-3 is home to Uitgeverij Deviant. Yesterday, director Jelle Pol and alderman Rutger Dijksterhuis (Heritage, monuments and archaeology) unveiled the wallpaper, which measures one and a half by three and a half meters. Very few examples of this type of Empire style wallpaper, a French architectural and interior design style from the early 19th century, have been preserved both in the Netherlands and abroad. The material is fragile and is therefore protected in a climate-controlled cabinet against sunlight, moisture, and dirt.
After its discovery in 1958, the wallpaper hung in the building for a long time, which was then home to a music school. Two other sections were taken to the depots of Museum Flehite in Amersfoort and the Centraal Museum in Utrecht, where they are still kept. The section that hung in the music school moved with the music school (Scholen in de Kunst) to the Eemhuis in 2014. There, it was given a prominent place above the counter. After a restoration, the wallpaper fragment has now returned to its original location.
The municipality has permanently loaned this special Amersfoort heritage to the owner of the Muurhuizen 1-3 building. Uitgeverij Deviant regularly opens its building to visitors, including during the Open Monumentendagen. This way, the exceptional wallpaper remains on display for the public.