In 1999, the KB, with the help of a number of Cultural Foundations, was able to purchase eleven alba amicorum (friendship books) originally belonging to the Van Harinxma thoe Slooten family of Friesland. What makes this collection so special is the age of the books (they date from the 16th and 17th centuries), their luxurious construction and their excellent condition. They also contain a wealth of depictions of coats of arms and other illustrations, some of which were made by local Frisian artists. Another very special feature of this collection is that it shows how keeping such an album can become a common activity within a single family. The albums of Homme, Juw and Pieter van Harinxma were a stroke of luck in this regard because they were kept during their owners' student days. They offer a unique opportunity to see whether people making entries in these albums simply reverted to a 'standard inscription' or whether they devised a new inscription in each case.
This web exhibition was launched by an exhibition at the Frisian Museum in Leeuwarden (www.friesmuseum.nl) from 14 April - 24 June 2001, thus enabling even off-premises users to have a look at these very special friendship albums. The selection of materials and the texts for this virtual exhibition were the work of Kees Thomassen, curator at the Koninklijke Bibliotheek.
The acquisition of the albums was made possible by the financial support of the following foundations:
- Stichting VSB Fonds Den Haag en Omstreken (VSB Foundation, The Hague and Environs)
- Prins Bernhard Fonds (Prins Bernhard Foundation)
- M.A.O.C. Gravin van Bylandt Stichting (M.A.O.C. Countess van Bylandt Foundation)
- Prof. Mr. Herman de la Fontaine Verwey Stichting (Prof. Herman de la Fontaine Verwey Foundation)
- Jaffé-Pierson Stichting (Jaffé-Pierson Foundation)
- Stichting Dr. Hendrik Muller's Vaderlandsch Fonds (Dr Hendrik Muller's Fatherland Foundation)
- Vereniging `Vrienden der Koninklijke Bibliotheek' ('Friends of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek' Society)
Visit Alba amicorum Van Harinxma thoe Slooten (Dutch)
