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336 Route 39. THE HAGUE. Mesdag Museum.
passing the Willems-Park (see below), to the old Scheveningen road
(p. 342). Shortly before the last diverges the handsome Laan yan
Meerdervoort (see below).
The Paleis-Straat (Pl. D, 4, 3), diverging to the N.E. from the
palace, leads through what was once part of the garden of the palace
to the Oranje-Straat, and farther on to the ParKsTRAAT @2ED;
4,3), which leads to the Lange Voorhout (p. 333). In Parkstraat
is the Roman Catholic Church of St. James (Pl. D, 3), built by
P. J. H. Cuypers (1878).
At the N. end of the street, beyond the Singels-Gracht, begins
the WinLEMs-Parx (Pl. D, 2), a fashionable quarter with pleasant
houses and gardens. In the centre, in an open place called the
‘Plein 18437, is a large imposing National Monument (21. 43),
unveiled in 1869, to commemorate the restoration of Dutch inde-
pendence in 1813 and the return of Prince William Frederick of
Orange, who afterwards became king (p. xlii). The monument was
designed by W. C. van der Waayen-Pietersen and Koelman, while
the bronze figures are by J. Jaquet.
On the massive substructure rises a lofty rectangular column bearing
& smaller one which is adorned with the arms of the kingdom and the
seven provinces, the whole being crowned with a Batavia in bronze, with
the lion of the Netherlands at her feet. On the side facing the town
Prince William Frederick is represented in his coronation-robes, swearing
to maintain the constitution. At the back are Gysbert Karel van Hogen-
dorp, Fr. Ad. van der Duyn, and Count L. van Limburg-Stirum, the leaders
of the rising in November, 1813. The female figures on the narrow sides
are emblematical of Liberty and Law.
On the N. side the Willems-Park is skirted by the Java-Straat
(Pl. D, 2, 1), which leads to the old Scheveningen road (p. 342).
A few paces to the N.W., at No. 7, Laan van Meerdervoort
(back-building), is the *Mesdag Museum (Pl. C, 1), opened in
1903, containing the art-collections of the painter H. W. Mesd g,
presented by him to the State. This museum includes the finest
modern picture-gallery in the country, among the 350 canvases of
which are many masterpieces of the French, Dutch, and Italian
schools of the 49th century. The great masters of Barbizon are
singularly well represented. — Adm., see p. 348. Catalogue in
English (1906) 60 c.; in Dutch (4905) 60 c., abbreviated 25 c.
Director, H. W. Mesdag.
Ground Froor. Room I (to the left) contains water-colours,
pastels, and drawings by H. W. Mesdag, Sientje Mesdag-van-Houten
(d. 1909), Antonio Mancini, Therese Schwartse, Jan Toorop, Jos.
Israéls, M. Bauer, Ant. Mauve, Jacob Maris, and *Johann Bosboom
(48. Groote Kerk at Alkmaar, ete.). — The bronze bust of H. W.
Mesdag, in the archway, is by T. Dupuis. — RoomII. Chinese cloi-
sonné vases, Japanese Satsuma ware, Chinese, Japanese, Persian, and
Arabic bronzes, early Dutch wedding-chests, and Flemish tapestry.
— The Corrmor contains water-colours by B. J. Blommers, J. H.
Weissenbruch, and W. Maris. — Room III. Paintings. To the right: |