reflected on a smaller scale in the human being – the microcosm. The Roman architect Vitruvius further contended that the proportions of the human body, the perfect creation, must serve as the point of departure for the perfect geometrical proportions in architecture. The human body fits precisely within a rectangle, a square, and a circle, and taking these shapes as the basic foundation, a perfect building can be designed. By applying Vitruvius’s rules as absolutely as possible, Van Campen was able to approach divine perfection in his design for Amsterdam’s town hall.
36. View of the Citizens’ Hall. Jacob Vennekool, 1661.
A miniature universe The notion that the town hall should mirror the universe is expressed in the abundance of sculptures in the interior, designed by Jacob van Campen himself and executed by Artus Quellinus, who was then the finest sculptor in northern Europe. His work can be seen in the heart of the building, which was accessible to all: the immense Citizens’ Hall and the galleries surrounding it. It must have been a hive of activity every day: meetings of the city council; citizens coming to arrange their affairs; merchants rushing in from Dam Square to take refuge from the rain; children playing; and visitors curious to see the eighth wonder of the world with their own eyes (fig. 36). Enthroned above the east entrance to the Citizens’ Hall is the Maid of Amsterdam, identifiable by the three St Andrew’s crosses from the city’s coat of arms on the bodice of her dress and by the eagle that holds the imperial crown over her 67