Hendrick de Keyser

Hendrick de Keyser (15 May 1565 – 15 May 1621) was a Dutch sculptor, merchant in Belgium bluestone, and architect who was instrumental in establishing a late Renaissance form of Mannerism changing into Baroque.

[4] In 1608 De Keyser sold petit Granit which was used for the weigh house in Hoorn; he also designed the dormers on the rooftop.

[6] De Keyser was visited by Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger and his brother Lorenz from Denmark who may have asked him for advice or training.

His brothers Jacob who was a cabinetmaker, and Aert a timber merchant, and Huybert his nephew all lived near Jodenbreestraat in a sidestreet.

[10][11] Hendrick is famous for a number of important buildings, gates and towers which belong to the core of Dutch historic sites.

Today the Zuiderkerk (1603/6-1611) and accompanying tower (1614), the City Hall (Delft) (1618-1620), the Westerkerk (1620-1631) are among the historic buildings which provide important insights into De Keyser's work.

His version came to full bloom at the end of the second decade of the 17th century, and set the stage for the later Dutch classical phase of Jacob van Campen and Pieter Post.

[12] In 1631 Salomon de Bray included the architect's most important sketches, based on mathematical regularity, in his book ’Architectura Moderna’.

[13] De Keyser's career was not limited to Amsterdam, and his international contacts helped him to keep in touch with the mainstream of European architecture.