House of Hermes
House of Hermes
The fortunate stocking dealer and art lover Nicolaas Sohier most likely commissioned Hendrick and his son Pieter de Keyser to design the richly decorated house. Sohier had bought two extra wide, adjacent lots and also owned part of the yard behind the Herengracht, in Amsterdam.
House with side house
The facade and layout of the house are very similar to that of Huis Bartolotti (Herengracht 170-172), which was owned by Sohier’s brother-in-law Jan Baptista Bartolotti. It is one of the few surviving examples of an early seventeenth-century house with a side house, the predecessor of the double house. To the right of the house is still a gate that led to the coach house. Above the gate was the coachman’s room.
The House with the Heads
The six busts on the facade represent the heads of six gods: Apollo with laurel wreath (referring to the arts), Ceres with ears of corn (agriculture), Mercury with helmet (trade), Minerva (wisdom), Bacchus with bunches of grapes (wine) and Diana with the crescent (hunting).
These images were commissioned by the second resident, Louis de Geer. With the placement of Mercury and Minerva – to the left and right of the main entrance – De Geer identified himself with both trade and wisdom.
Louis de Geer
Arms dealer and banker Louis de Geer bought the property in 1634. He played an important role in the development of Swedish iron ore production and the export of related products. He supported King Gustav II Adolf with money and equipment during the 30 Years’ War (1618-1648) and the war against Denmark. The King’s bust is still in the front house.
The de Geer family often invited many free-thinkers from allover Europe to stay there, as Amsterdam was and has always been one of the most tolerant places on earth.
From Hermes Trismegistus to Christian Rosenkreuz
Jan Comenius
In the House with the Heads his son Laurens offered refuge to Czech refugee philosopher and educator Jan Amos Comenius. Later, Comenius would himself occupy a building on the Prinsengracht. His museum and mausoleum is in Naarden. The root-name of Jan means "God is Gracious".
In 1779, the house was sold to someone outside the family. Between 1811 and 1865, art dealer De Roos was located here. After that, a HBS and a Public Trade School were added to the building. In the 1900’s, the building was used by the Conservatory of Amsterdam and later by the municipal monument conservation agency.
Now, the building is home to the Embassy of the Free Mind, and part of the Joost Ritman Library with over 27.000 books, from Jacob Böhme, Giordano Bruno, Comenius, Ficino, etc.
"Music composed according to the rules of the stars, the motions of the heavens, and an individual’s horoscope, will engender a forceful celestial healing power". (M. Ficino 15th C.)
This library contains books about the faiths of man in all lands and in particular Western Esotericism.
It maintains a close collaboration with the Center for History of Hermetic Philosophy, part of the Faculty of Humanitas at the University of Amsterdam, as well as the ESSWE.
Contemplation Garden
In 1604 a "new, bright star" appeared in the sky!