Jacob Heyblocq's friendship book
Jan de Braij, Chess player. Drawing in ink. 1661. (p. 249)
In the seventeenth century, a ‘friends’ book’ is not a hobby of schoolchildren, but a serious Linked-In for students and men from art and culture. Jacob Heyblocq collects in his album contributions from almost all important figures from the Golden Age: Rembrandt, Joost van den Vondel, Jacob Cats, Constantijn Huygens, and many more.
Students and their friendship books in the seventeenth century
In the age of Jacob Heyblocq (1623-1690), friendship books (in Latin alba amicorum) were especially popular among students who traveled from university to university. They took the little books with them on their journey. When they met people they did not want to forget, they asked them to write something in their album. These were usually short quotes and expressions of friendship with a date and a signature. Sometimes the students had their portrait or family crest put in the album. The album traveled with the student until his studies were finished, and then usually disappeared into a drawer.
View the book online
Heyblocq's ambitions with his album
Portrait of Jacob Heyblocq
Jacob Heyblocq approaches things slightly differently. He is still a theology student in Leiden when he starts the album in 1645, but on the first page he immediately makes it clear that he wants much more than a standard friendship book.
Heyblocq addresses the 'greatest, most learned, most noble' people of his time in Latin and says that, in addition to all his obligations, he only knows one great pleasure in life: looking at album contributions. He asks 'the greatest thinkers of this century and royal highnesses' to write 'brilliant contributions' in this 'daring book'. He promises that after the death of the writers what they have written will continue to exist. Who writes, remains.
Heyblocq's famous Amsterdam 'friends'
Heyblocq works on his ambition. After his studies he starts teaching at the Latin school on the Nieuwe Zijds in Amsterdam. In the 'golden' seventeenth century, Amsterdam is a world city where science, art and culture flourish. Around 1660 Heyblocq becomes rector of his Latin school and through this position he comes into contact with the cultural elite of Amsterdam. He asks poets, professors, draughtsmen and painters for a contribution. The index at the bottom of this page shows who all responds positively.
-
Album amicorum of Jacob Heyblocq, p. 7.
-
Battle of Egmond aan Zee, 1653. ‘When the English fleet threatened the Batavian coast, the old hero Tromp said: “Men, defend the fatherland!”. Immediately afterwards Tromp was hit by a bullet and died on the spot. Our heroes attacked and drove the English back. They barely made it to the Thames.’ Drawing by Esaias Meurant, text by Emanuel Meurant, 1654 (p. 174-175)
-
Skaters at the Montelbaantoren in Amsterdam, by Aert van der Neer (p. 133)
Special contributions in Heyblocq's album
Most contributions are a lot more extensive than the usual expressions of friendship. Many poems were written for the occasion. They are generally in Dutch or Latin.
The name Heiblocq is often used as inspiration. A pile block is the heavy block of the pile driver with which piles are driven into the ground. Joost van den Vondel, one of the most famous Dutch writers from the seventeenth century, wrote:
Jakob, praise your eternal work,
Do not build a house, much less a church
On the peat soil of each person's desire,
Because those soils sag;
Whether one spares wood or piles.
Peat soil threatens you with danger. [p. 11)
In other words: Build (your life) on the rock of eternal values rather than on the swamp soil of the illusion of the day. Peat soil is and remains unstable, even if you use poles and a pile driver.
Rembrandt van Rijn also contributed. In 1661, he drew a beloved scene from the Bible, the moment when Jesus is introduced to Simeon by his parents in the temple.
-
Job van Meek’ren, Men driving a stake into the ground that is held by a divine hand. Pen and brush. Amsterdam 1647 (p. 72).
-
Contribution by Joost van den Vondel, 1645 (p. 11).
-
Rembrandt van Rijn, The Presentation in the Temple, 1661. The old Simeon takes the baby Jesus in his arms. He realizes that he has seen Christ and asks God if he may now die. (p. 61)
The richest friendship book in the Netherlands
With all these famous contributions, this is the richest friendship book in Dutch history. No other album is so beautifully illustrated. We find beautiful landscapes drawn in it, for example:
-
Travelers in a landscape, artist unknown. Black and brown ink. (p. 81)
Mythological scenes also embellish the book. For example, this drawing by a pupil of Rembrandt:
-
Gerbrand van den Eeckhoudt, Hermes about to kill Argos with his sword. Washed chalk drawing, 1654 (p. 279)
Also special are images of the seventeenth-century fellow human beings. Sometimes captured in a fleeting pencil sketch:
-
Anonymous contribution (p. 245)
Heyblocq's album and the KB
The album amicorum of Jacob Heyblocq was donated to the KB in 1901 by U.M. Kneppelhout-Van Braam. In 1997, the KB published a facsimile edition of the entire book.
Description of the manuscript
Album amicorum of Jacobus Heyblocq (1623-1690), rector of the Latin school in Amsterdam. Amsterdam [etc.], 1645-1678.
Contemporary black leather binding with gold stamping.
Contains 196 inscriptions, including 41 drawings, 2 engravings, 3 cut-outs and a title page in a cartouche of leaves. Paper, 310 pp., ill. 92×153 mm.
Donated in 1901 by U.M. Kneppelhout-Van Braam from the estate of J. Kneppelhout.
Request number: KW 131 H 26, only for inspection
View the book online
Index of authors' names of the contributions
- Abba, Bartholomaeus - 93, 138, 144
- Aemilius, Antonius - 137
- Amour, Gulielmus d' - 35-36, 37-38, 209
- Angelkott, Hermannus - 102
- Anslo, Reyer - 12
- Arenbergh, Jan van - 154, 155
- Asselijn, Thomas - 232-233
- Balen, Petrus van - 169, 255
- Barlaeus, Lambertus - 73
- Bie, Alexander de - 159
- Blasius, Johan - 196, 243, 250
- Block, Tewis Dirksz - 57b
- Boey, Cornelis - 267
- Bonevaal, Joannes van - 100
- Boogaard, I. - 181-182
- Braij, Jan de - 248-249
- Brandt, Gerard jr. - 57a
- Bronchorst, Jan Gerritsz. van - 121, 157
- Bruno, Henrick - 115-117
- Cabeljauw, Johannes - 143
- Cappelle, Jan van de - 283
- Cats, Jacob - 237
- Christenius, Johannes - 109
- Clerquius, Jacobus - 45
- Comenius, Jan Amos - 189
- Coninck, Gerrit - 20
- Conradi, Henricus - 192
- Conraedt, Andreas - 193
- Cool, Joannes - 236-237, 240
- Coppenol, Lieven van - 178, 179
- Costerus, Johannes - 257
- Daventraeus, Henricus - 23
- Decker, Jeremias de - 239
- Dibbetz, Johannes - 124
- Does, Jacob van der - 291, 297-298
- Du Rieu, Johannes - 105
- Du Rieu, Wilhelmus - 107
- Dubbels, Pieter - 62-63, 152
- Dullaert, Joan - 224
- Eeckhout, Gerbrand van den - 278-279, 282
- Ens, Johannes - 31-33
- Fabricius, Johannes - 210-211, 251-252
- Fernant, Pieter - 83
- Flinck, Govaert - 153
- Focquenbroch, Willem Godschalk van - 90, 120, 167
- Francius, Petrus - 146
- Goor, Cornelis van - 295
- Goor, M. van - 160
- Gorter, Jacob - 270, 271
- Graswinckel, Theodorus - 191
- Gronovius, Johannes Fredericus - 151
- Haghe, Joannes vander - 258-259
- Halmael, Cornelis van - 217
- Hartoghvelt, Jan van - 93a, 94
- Heinsius, Daniel - 149
- Heinsius, Franciscus - 177
- Helst, Lodewijk van der - 231
- Heyblocq, Bernardus - 165
- Heyblocq, Jacob - 7, 24-25, 26, 162, 222, 264
- Hoff, Pieter - 65, 71
- Huygens, Constantijn - 39, 266b
- Junius, Adrianus - 145
- Junius, Guilhelmus - 112-113
- Kesteren, Joannes van - 163
- Keuchenius, Robertus - 111
- Koenerding, Johannes - 212
- Koninck, J. - 201-202
- Laurentius, Laurens - 41
- Le Maire, Isaac - 17
- Leupenius, Joannes - 276-277
- Leupenius, Petrus - 242
- Lieranus, Arnoldus - 60
- Lydius, Jacobus - 229
- Lydius, Martinus - 21-22
- Lydius, Nicolaus - 27, 28-30
- Maresius, Samuel - 123
- Mast, Arnoldus van der - 76, 190, 216
- Meek'ren, Job van - 72, 97, 114, 207
- Mejerus, Tobias - 180
- Menslage, Hermannus - 226
- Messu, Joannes - 223
- Meurant, Emanuel - 173, 174, 184
- Meurant, Esaias - 174, 175, 183
- Midlum, Gerard van - 68-69, 70, 185-186
- Montanus, Arnoldus - 13
- Montanus, Joannes - 51
- Neer, Aert van der - 132, 133
- Neuijen, Joan - 272-273
- Nieuwenhuysen, Johannes van - 227
- N.N. - 67, 77, 81, 99, 118, 172, 187, 195, 197, 207, 245, 254a, 275, 289, 301, 303, 304a
- Oever, Hendrik ten - 171
- Outten, Michiel van - 218-219
- Pantinus, Joannes - 141
- Pantogalos, Meletios - 260
- Penyn, Gerardus de - 269
- Polyander van Kerckhoven, Johannes - 57
- Quina, Jacob jr. - 246, 55-56
- Quina, Jacob sr. - 246, 55-56, 89, 246
- Ras, Joannes - 101
- Rembrandt - 61
- Revius, Jacobus - 147
- Rhijnsdijck, Henricus - 253
- Rivetus, Andreas - 263
- Rooy, C. de - 299
- Rossaeus, Samuel - 220-221
- Salmasius, Claudius - 85
- Schellinks, Willem - 53, 75, 198, 205, 206
- Schilde, Sara van - 238
- Schoock, Martin - 47
- Schurman, Anna Maria van - 265
- Seep, C. - 203
- Selijns, Henricus - 199
- Senguerdius, Arnoldus - 91
- Simonides, Simon - 230
- Six van Chandelier, Joannes - 228
- Sladus, Cornelius - 139
- Snellinx, Franciscus - 9-10, 18
- Spanhemius, Fredericus - 15
- Staphorstius, Casparus - 126
- Streso, Casparus - 125
- Tengnagel, Mattheus Gansneb - 14
- Triglandus, Jacobus - 235
- Uchtmannus, Theodorus Alma - 103
- Veer, Cornelis van der - 48-49, 78-79, 254b-254c
- Velthuisen, Casparus - 225
- Vicq, Franciscus de - 261
- Vlasblom, Ludovicus - 142
- Voet, Daniel - 95
- Voet, Paulus - 135
- Voetius, Gisbertus - 131
- Vondel, Joost van den - 11
- Vos, Jan - 50
- Vossius, Gerardus Johannes - 129
- Waterloos, Herman Frederik - 87
- Waterpas, P. - 66
- Westerbaen, Jacob - 241
- Widmarius, Abdias - 43
- Winckelius, Andreas - 19
- With, Pieter de - 285, 287
- Wittenoom, Cornelis - 127
- Zoet, Jan - 98, 119, 213-214
Literatuur
The Album Amicorum of Jacob Heyblocq, Introduction, Transcriptions, Paraphrases and Notes to the Facsimile, Edited by Kees Thomassen and J.A. Gruys, Zwolle: Waanders, 1998, Aanvraagnummer LHO HS.B 74c HEY
