The reconstruction of ‘t Paradijs (‘the paradise’) was a project initiated by art historian Dr. Madelon Simons between 2013 and 2014. Her main aim was to reconstruct the premises of Pompejus Occo, a wealthy merchant, banker and humanist and one of the most prominent figures of early 16thcentury Amsterdam. From textual sources, we know that Occo had a rich social and political network and hosted many events in his house. At some point, he even entertained Christian II, King of Denmark, and his retinue. The use of 3D modelling enabled researchers to re-contextualize these events and the spatial organization of daily affairs in their material settings. As an added benefit, the process of reconstruction elicited new questions and improved the researcher’s understanding of the construction and location of Occo’s house(s).
2019-03-11