De Eglantier (Sweet Briar or Eglantine Rose) (spelling variations: ''Egelantier'' and ''Eglentier'') was a

chamber of rhetoric Chambers of rhetoric ( nl, rederijkerskamers) were dramatic societies in the Low Countries. Their members were called Rederijkers (singular Rederijker), from the French word 'rhétoricien', and during the 15th and 16th centuries were mainly inte ...

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

that arose in 1517 or 1518, possibly as a continuation of older chambers of rhetoric. It is one of the most famous chambers of rhetoric. Its insignia consisted of a thriving Eglantine Rose ("Wild Rose", a symbol of love) in the form of a cross from which a

Christ Figure A Christ figure, also known as a Christ-Image is a literary technique that the author uses to draw allusions between their characters and the biblical Jesus. More loosely, the Christ figure is a spiritual or prophetic character who parallels Jesus ...

was hanging. The corresponding

slogan A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a clan, political slogan, political, Advertising slogan, commercial, religious, and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose, with the goal of persuading members of the publi ...

was "In Love, Flourishing". The name derives from a romantic reference to the poem Beatrijs, where the lovers met by the wild rose."Onder enen eglentier"
in Beatrijs One of the most important leaders of the chamber was Hendrik Laurenszoon Spiegel. Other prominent members were

Laurens Reael Laurens Reael (22 October 1583 – 21 October 1637) was an employee of the Dutch East India Company, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1616 to 1619, and an admiral of the Dutch Republican Navy from 1625 to 1627. Early life L ...

Roemer Visscher Roemer Pieterszoon Visscher (1547 – 19 February 1620) was a successful Dutch merchant, the first Dutch underwriter and writer of the Dutch Golden Age. Life Visscher was born in and lived in Amsterdam and was an important and central figure of t ...

and

Dirck Volckertszoon Coornhert Dirck Volckertszoon Coornhert (152229 October 1590), also known as Theodore Cornhert, was a Dutch writer, philosopher, translator, politician, theologian and artist. Coornhert is often considered the Father of Dutch Renaissance scholarship. Biogr ...

History

Much of what is known today about this society comes from the city and guild archives, where it is first mentioned in the 1490s. In 1518 it was mentioned as the "old" social drama society of the city, when it received an annual grant from the city.Gary Waite
''Reformers on Stage: Popular drama and religious propaganda in the Low Countries''
(University of Toronto Press, 2000) In the 1520s they participated in several city festivities and produced a play on the story of

Pyramus and Thisbe Pyramus and Thisbe are a pair of ill-fated lovers whose story forms part of Ovid's ''Metamorphoses''. The story has since been retold by many authors. Pyramus and Thisbe are two lovers in the city of Babylon who occupy connected houses. Their r ...

. The society was popular throughout the latter half of the 16th century and many noted artists were members, though it received little patronage from the city, not even during the

joyous entry A Joyous Entry ( nl, Blijde Intrede, Blijde Inkomst, or ; ) is the official name used for the ceremonial royal entry, the first official peaceable visit of a reigning monarch, prince, duke or governor into a city, mainly in the Duchy of Braban ...

Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infan ...

in 1549. Scholars have put this down to the

reformist Reformism is a political doctrine advocating the reform of an existing system or institution instead of its abolition and replacement. Within the socialist movement, reformism is the view that gradual changes through existing institutions can eve ...

nature of the plays and poems produced during this period, which made political patronage dangerous. During the

Dutch Revolt The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) (Historiography of the Eighty Years' War#Name and periodisation, c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and t ...

, the chambers of rhetoric were closed altogether by the Spanish Governor of the Netherlands, the

Duke of Alba Duke of Alba de Tormes ( es, Duque de Alba de Tormes), commonly known as Duke of Alba, is a title of Spanish nobility that is accompanied by the dignity of Grandee of Spain. In 1472, the title of ''Count of Alba de Tormes'', inherited by G ...

, but in 1578 the Eglantier was re-established as a result of the Alteration of Amsterdam, in which the Catholic city government was overthrown. After the

Fall of Antwerp The Fall of Antwerp on 17 August 1585 took place during the Eighty Years' War, after a siege lasting over a year from July 1584 until August 1585. The city of Antwerp was the focal point of the Protestant-dominated Dutch Revolt, but was force ...

in 1585 the influx of many gifted poets from the south caused the Eglantier to grow in numbers, which also caused the creation of competing chambers of rhetoric, such as Het Wit Lavendel in 1598 (where, amongst others

Joost van den Vondel Joost van den Vondel (; 17 November 1587 – 5 February 1679) was a Dutch poet, writer and playwright. He is considered the most prominent Dutch poet and playwright of the 17th century. His plays are the ones from that period that are still most ...

was active), after which the Eglantier became known as the 'Old Chamber'. After 1610, there were internal difficulties in the Eglantier, and in 1617

Samuel Coster Samuel Coster (1 September 1579, Amsterdam – 1665) was a Dutch playwright. Coster was the fifth child of Adriaen Lennaertz, sexton and carpenter, and Aeltgen Jansd. By around 1605, he was a member of the Amsterdam rederijkerskamer "De Eglan ...

and a group of members broke away and founded the chamber of rhetoric '' Duytsche Academie''. After this departure, the Eglantier appointed

Theodore Rodenburgh Theodore Rodenburgh (baptised 29 January 1574, Antwerp - 1644) was a diplomat and playwright of the Dutch Golden Age. His first name is sometimes spelled Theodoor, and occasionally the nick-name Dirk is seen; his last name is sometimes spelled Ro ...

chairman. But in 1630 ''Het Wit Lavendel'' and the ''Duytsche Academie'' merged and only two years later, on July 7, 1632, the burgomasters of Amsterdam merged this chamber of rhetoric with the Eglantier into a new chamber of rhetoric, named the ''Amsterdamsche Kamer'', but in sources it also appears under the names ''De Vergulden Byekorf'', ''Bloeyende Eglantier'' and ''Academie'', with the motto "Through fervor in love, flourishing". Not every rhetorician agreed with the merger, and Jan Harmensz. Krul founded the ''Musijckkamer'' in 1634, which however went bankrupt a year later, in 1635. The Amsterdamsche Kamer was led in its early years by Willem Dircksz. Hooft, Steven Vennecool, Heereman Dircksz. Coorenkind, Johan Meurs and Meyndert Voskuyl. In 1637, the first theater in Amsterdam, the Schouwburg of Van Campen, was founded through the chamber of rhetoric. Not much is known on further events of the chamber of rhetoric. A list of leaders of the chamber is known from 1664 (one year before the construction of the ' New Theatre'), including Cornelis Withenoon,

Jan Vos Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Numbe ...

, Tobias van Domselaer, Jacob van der Poel and Cornelis de Vries.

Publications

* In 1602 the songbook ''Den Nieuwen Lusthof''"In Liefde Bloeiende"
''Letterkundig woordenboek voor Noord en Zuid'', K. ter Laan, 1952, in the DBNL * In 1610 ''Den Bloemhof'' * In 1615 ''Apollo''

References

{{reflist

External links

"In Liefde Bloeiende"
''Letterkundig woordenboek voor Noord en Zuid'' (1952; 2e dr. - on dbnl)
Profile
of ''De Vergulden Byekorf / Bloeyende Eglantier / Amsterdamsche Kamer / Academie'' at the dbnl (from 1632) Chamber of rhetoric History of Amsterdam Dutch artist groups and collectives