This thesis highlights Baron W.H.J. van Westreenen van Tiellandt (1783-1848) as a collector of antiquities in early nineteenth century Holland. The professionalising of science during the...Show moreThis thesis highlights Baron W.H.J. van Westreenen van Tiellandt (1783-1848) as a collector of antiquities in early nineteenth century Holland. The professionalising of science during the Enlightenment era had a considerable impact on the study of antiquity as well. Take for example Winckelmann’s history of antique art, and the late eighteenth century Altertumswissenschaft incorporating all facets of the classical world (texts, inscriptions and material remains). The latter movement, which also found its way to Holland, strongly contributed to the genesis of the academic archaeological discipline in Leiden in 1818. Moreover, partly due to the Romantic movement in the first half of the nineteenth century and the involvement of institutionalised museums of antiquity, the rather patriotic approach to antiquity gradually took the upper hand over focussing on the splendour of the classical Mediterranean context which had dominated the antiquarian world before. The longstanding humanist tradition of studying classical remains in their native context increasingly gained adherents and was also supported by the first professor of archaeology, C.J.C. Reuvens (1793-1835). But how exactly does Van Westreenen fit as a collector in this fascinating period of shifting receptions of and approaches to antiquity? Although a bibliophile at heart, he was also charmed by classical material culture in general and more specifically, like Reuvens, those unearthed on Dutch soil. In this thesis the involvements of Van Westreenen in the study of the Roman settlement Arentsburg and the Roman fort Brittenburg are treated and compared to Reuvens’, serving as a benchmark of contemporary scientific archaeological research. This study exposes the differences and similarities in their methodology and perception of antiquity and places them in the reshaping political and cultural climate of the early nineteenth century. Finally Van Westreenen’s collecting policy is analysed diachronically, based on his handwritten Catalogue des livres, manuscrits et antiquites. This catalogue describes his acquisitions of 264 Roman antiquities between 1797 and 1835 and allows for a study of Van Westreenen’s underlying rationale of collecting antiquities.Show less
This study investigates the task of the Museum of Antiquities in the nineteenth century. The aim of this research was to see if the Netherlands would fit into the international museological...Show moreThis study investigates the task of the Museum of Antiquities in the nineteenth century. The aim of this research was to see if the Netherlands would fit into the international museological developments as presented by Tony Bennett in his book The Birth of the Museum. Several publications have been reviewed on this subject in order to explore how this relatively new branch within the museum studies is researched. A theoretical framework has been outlined with two main theorists on which this historical visitor-research usually rests: Michel Foucault’s work on power relations and Pierre Bourdieu’s work on class distinction. The work of Eric Hobsbawm on nationalism and nation-states has been added as a third main theoretical thread. The empirical research has been carried out on several different types of archival documents of the Museum of Antiquities to answer the main research question. This is embedded in a short history of the Museum of Antiquities. As a comparison a short history is added of the British Museum and their interaction with the public. The outcome of this study indicates that the Dutch museological development in the nineteenth century was not the same as described by Bennett in his book. In order to account for this deviant outcome a chapter on the political and social situations of the Netherlands in general and of the city of Leiden in particular has been added.Show less
