Jacob Merkelbach opened his portrait studio in Amsterdam in 1913. From every photograph he created a work of art, and soon customers came to his studio in the prestigious Hirsch building at the Leidseplein from throughout the Netherlands. There are about 150,000 studio portraits spanning over more than half a century. The Merkelbach collection is currently owned by the Amsterdam City Archives. The collection consists of around 40,000 glass negatives, including Merkelbach portraits of Queen Wilhelmina, actress Fien de la Mar, dancer Mata Hari and comedian Toon Hermans. Sadly, a large part of the collection was lost in a flood in the seventies. During a move several years ago the negatives were carefully stored. The Amsterdam City Archives has since decided to digitise the precious collection to ensure that it will be preserved.
The digitisation of the Merkelbach collection is a great investment for the Amsterdam City Archives, for which they have received support from the Mondriaan Fund and VSB Fund. Several media partners were also approached, as were five other cultural institutions that have Merkelbach's work in their collections. The website which allows the public to help identify the portraits is also a crowdfunding initiative. Individuals may support the preservation of the collection through donations, or by buying prints or other products. In this way the Amsterdam City Archives hopes to be able to present the collection in the best way possible.
The website was launched on 4th April 2013 with an important public campaign and a gala evening at the City Archives. On 13th September 2013 an exhibition and publication dedicated to Merkelbach will be opened. The exhibition ends on January 5th, 2014.
The digitisation of the Merkelbach collection is a great investment for the Amsterdam City Archives, for which they have received support from the Mondriaan Fund and VSB Fund. Several media partners were also approached, as were five other cultural institutions that have Merkelbach's work in their collections. The website which allows the public to help identify the portraits is also a crowdfunding initiative. Individuals may support the preservation of the collection through donations, or by buying prints or other products. In this way the Amsterdam City Archives hopes to be able to present the collection in the best way possible.
The website was launched on 4th April 2013 with an important public campaign and a gala evening at the City Archives. On 13th September 2013 an exhibition and publication dedicated to Merkelbach will be opened. The exhibition ends on January 5th, 2014.
