A key decision during the renovation process was the “Moving Forward with Cuypers” project, which restored many decorations and original design plans by architect and designer Pierre Cuypers (1827–1921) to their former glory. This was a remarkable choice, as the design and construction of the Rijksmuseum were the subject of debate at the end of the nineteenth century.
Upon its completion in 1885, the Rijksmuseum was the largest building in the Netherlands and also one of the most expensive, constructed on a marshy polder on the outskirts of Amsterdam. According to insiders, the building is only now—more than 128 years later—in the condition Cuypers had envisioned.
But what exactly did Cuypers envision in his design? How did he (as a Catholic architect) secure this prestigious commission? How did he ultimately bring this magnificent building to life?
These questions will not be answered at the Rijksmuseum, as the building is dedicated to art and national history.