Painted tray, Athenaeum Illustre

The tray was likely created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Athenaeum Illustre. This distinguished institution was the first provider of higher education in Amsterdam and is considered the predecessor of the University of Amsterdam. Gerardus Vossius inaugurated the Athenaeum Illustre on January 8, 1632, with his oration De historiae utilitate (On the Usefulness of History). The following day, Caspar Barlaeus delivered his famous speech Mercator Sapiens (The Wise Merchant).

It was not until 1877 that the city of Amsterdam was granted the right to transform the Athenaeum Illustre into the University of Amsterdam.

At the center of the tray, the gate of the institution is depicted, with the years ‘1632–1732’ above and the inscription The Athenaeum Illustre on the Fluwele Burgwal in Amsterdam below. This scene is framed by a black border adorned with gold ornaments, surrounded in turn by a decorative floral rim. The edge of the tray is intricately openworked and features a gold-colored spherical ornament on each corner.

The depicted gate and the former Agnietenkapel, which once housed the Athenaeum Illustre, still stand today and are now part of the University of Amsterdam. The Fluwele Burgwal is now known as the Oudezijds Voorburgwal.