Album amicorum of Egbert Philip van Visvliet
f. 1v: Inscription by Egbert Philip van Visvliet.
Egbert Philip van Visvliet (1736-1799) is someone who remained faithful to his album his entire life. The vast majority of the contributions date from the period 1755 to 1762, when he studied law and medicine in Leiden. With 195 contributions, it is one of the most extensive eighteenth-century albums.
What makes the album extra attractive are the drawings, because a large majority of the albums from that period have to do without such illustrations. Some drawings are very directly related to the owner. For example, Franciscus Xavery painted a beautiful scene of two children fishing on the river and in the accompanying poem he also plays with the name of the owner.
The most beautiful contribution is that of Le Francq van Berkhey. The drawing and the contribution fit together seamlessly: ‘To those whose friendly spirits Pallas unites in studies, true love often dedicates its own gifts’. And indeed, under the approving gaze of a statue of Pallas Athene we see Amor offering the cup of friendship to Van Visvliet and Le Francq van Berkhey. They are surrounded by all kinds of attributes related to their studies (respectively medicine and botany). The symbolum at the bottom left can also be found in the drawing (‘Under the shadow of the oak grows the cheerful ivy’).
-
f. 131r: image in the album amicorum of Egbert Philip van Visvliet
After his studies, Van Visvliet received few contributions for his album, but it continued to serve an important function for him. Although he did not - as can be seen in other albums - place notes on the careers of the inscribers, it is clear from the frequent 'obiit' (died) written next to the names that his album indeed served as a 'friend's roll' for him and that he continued to follow the well-being of fellow students from the past, until their end.
Album amicorum of Egbert Philip van Visvliet (1736-1799), statesman and physician. 195 inscriptions, 1755-1795, in Leiden and Amsterdam. Paper, 176 folios, 118 x 187 mm. Herk.: auction Frederik Muller in Amsterdam, 1907.
Request number: 132 G 40, fol.131r
References
- Alba amicorum. Five centuries of friendship put on paper. Maarssen, The Hague 1990, no. 71, pict. on p. 92.
- One hundred highlights from the Royal Library. Zwolle, Waanders, cop. 1994.
