Teyler’s Foundation and the Two Societies: Emergence and Development up to c. 1800

Following the brief sketch of the creation of Teyler’s Foundation in Chapter 1, here we examine the circumstances of its founding in greater detail – more specifically, the motivation that Pieter Teyler drew from the poor economic conditions that prevailed since the mid-eighteenth century, from the life of societies in Haarlem, and from his Mennonite faith. Then we introduce the first Directors of the Foundation, and give an impression of the two societies and their activities, especially the competitions in the Foundation’s first decades. Finally we will make a closer acquaintance with the artist who had to keep the Foundation House and the collections in order.
With this overview we return to the interpretation of Pieter Teyler’s aims by the executors of his will, which led not only to the building of the Book and Art Room known as the Oval Room, but also to differences of opinion regarding the purpose of this costly extension and the kind of collections that were considered appropriate for it.