BREDA, NORTH BRABANT
MIDDELBURG, ZEELAND
FRANEKER, FRIESLAND
The old bricks themselves were particularly well shaped and the proportion of height to length gave a long and narrow appearance. How narrow they actually were will be realised when it is stated that it not infrequently happens we find them no more than 1¼ inches high. Some of the sizes noted are 1¼ inches by 6¾ inches to 7 inches at Workum; 1½ inches by 7 inches at Breda (page [24]); 1½ inches by 8½ inches, and 1¾ inches by 7 inches to 8½ inches at Haarlem; and 2 inches by 9 inches at ’s Hertogenbosch. They were laid with five, six, or seven courses to the foot, and sometimes the door and window openings were formed with smaller sized bricks than those used for the main walling. It was only rarely that comparatively large bricks were employed. Some may be seen in the walls of the old Abbey at Middelburg, and “Thvis van Leeninge” (page [25]), situated in the same town, has bricks measuring 2½ inches by 9½ inches; while a building at Franeker, in Friesland, is carried out in unusually large bricks, which vary in size from 3 inches to 3½ inches by 10½ inches to 11½ inches. The joints are widest in the older work and were either finished with dark mortar, no lighter in tone than the bricks, or were raked out and pointed up with light mortar. The bond almost universally adopted was that known by the name of “English” and not, as is often erroneously stated, “Flemish.” English bond consists of alternate courses of headers and stretchers; that is to say, one course of bricks, all placed longways, upon a course all laid endways, and so continuously up the wall. Flemish bond, rarely to be seen in Holland, has alternate headers and stretchers in every course. Dutch brickwork shows a wide range of colouring. Some is very dark and of a purple tint; some is yellow, particularly in the neighbourhood of Dordrecht; red bricks there are in every town; while at Breda they gradate from lemon yellow to a delicate salmon pink. It will be perceived that materials such as these offered means for harmonious combinations. The possibilities were appreciated, and about the country there exist many happy effects which were secured by blending the various coloured bricks. It was a favourite method to build walls with parti-coloured bands running horizontally through them in the manner shown from Franeker (page [26]), where four courses of red bricks interchange with one of yellow. Mouldings and surrounds to openings often contrasted with the prevailing colour of the building. As an illustration of this, the example from Dordrecht (below) may be cited; the walls are formed with yellow bricks and the decorated window-heads with red. In addition to effects obtained by colour harmonies, enrichment was secured by applying moulded and shaped brickwork. It was confined principally to the doorways, windows and string courses, and how successful this system of ornamentation can be will be realised by further reference to the two above-mentioned drawings. Among other familiar features of Dutch buildings are the mosaic decorations which generally occupy the arched spaces over window-heads. Made up of simple units—square or shaped bricks and little pieces of stone—they were set together to form repeating patterns and devices. Many of the houses, such as that at Dordrecht (page [27]), attain distinction by reason of these interesting and freely rendered details, and they will be more fully considered in the following chapter on exterior features.
DORDRECHT, SOUTH HOLLAND
DORDRECHT (DATED 1702)