Background
Van Marsseveen was born in Amsterdam. In 1602 his father was an initial investor in the Dutch East India Company.
Diplomat politician Mayor of Amsterdam
Van Marsseveen was born in Amsterdam. In 1602 his father was an initial investor in the Dutch East India Company.
The name Huydecoper means literally "buyer of pelts". Huydecoper had a prosperous political career: first he was elected to the vroedschap of Amsterdam. He was six times a mayor of Amsterdam.
He also had shares in the Magellan Company, that traded with South Americal.
Johan Huydecoper is mentioned as the first person in Amsterdam, who bought a painting from Rembrandt. Huydecoper and Rembrandt probably met each other at an early stage, as they both lived or worked in the Sint Antoniesbreestraat.
Huydecoper became a connoisseur of fine arts and was friendly with January Vos (poet), who praised his house and collection of paintings in several poems, one on a painting by Rubens. In 1639 Philip Vingboons designed his mansion on Singel.
The house was destroyed in 1943, when two English planes collided in midair and one came down on the house.
(One of the few spots in Amsterdam that were damaged during the Second World War). Huydecoper was also a real-estate developer along the river Vecht (Utrecht), where he had his country house. Schwartz wrote: What art could contribute to Maarsseveen: architecture to beautify it, map-making to advertise it, and poetry to immortalise lieutenant
He used the patronage he wielded in Amsterdam to put artists scholars, and publishers to work for him in Maarsseveen.
In 1650 Huydecoper had the gates closed, the bridges lifted, and the city protected, when William II of Orange tried to attack Amsterdam. He was involved in the building and decoration of the new city hall on Dam Square.
Huydecoper symbolises the prosperity of Amsterdam during the Golden Age and managed to unify wealth, politics and the cultural elite status in Amsterdam.