Hendrick de Keyser

The Amsterdam city stonemason Hendrick de Keyser, namesake of the Association, was one of the most important builders and sculptors at the beginning of the Golden Age. De Keyser was a master at coming up with new forms and ornaments time and again. His work is a highlight of the Dutch Renaissance (c. 1550-1630).

Hendrick de Keyser was born in Utrecht into a family of carpenters and joiners and was trained by the sculptor, engineer and fortress builder Cornelis Bloemaert. In 1591 he settled in Amsterdam where he set up his own workshop and quickly gained a name as a versatile stonemason and designer. His field of work was extremely varied, ranging from small-scale sculpture in precious materials to funerary monuments, gates, decorative stonework for private homes and large-scale building projects for the city. De Keyser was technically highly developed, experimented with marble and bronze and had several inventions to his name.