Leendert Viervant the Younger

Leendert Viervant de Jonge (Leendert Viervant the Younger) (Arnhem, 5 March 1752 – 4 July 1801, Amsterdam),^[1] was a Dutch architect and cabinet builder.

Viervant stemmed from a family of architects,^[2] cabinet builders and stonemasons. His father, Hendrik Viervant, was the son of cabinet builder and stonemason Leendert Viervant the Elder and married Catharina Maria Otten, the sister of the neoclassical architect Jacob Otten Husly. Also Hendrik's brother, Anthonie Viervant, was a cabinet maker and Anthonie's son Roelof Viervant designed garden pavillons and facades. All these family members have designed some buildings in 18th century Netherlands.^[3]

Thanks to his family background, Viervant had a good basis to work from. Born and raised in the provincial city of Arnhem, he studied to become an architect with his uncle Husly. In 1768 he was entered into the stonemason guild of Amsterdam,^[1] where he lived and worked. He lived at the Amstel and later near Hoge Sluis (1784–1790). In 1791 he was forced to let his inventory be liquidated, because he couldn't fulfill his financial obligations any longer – finally he was able to come to arrangements with his creditors. According to his uncle Husly, Viervant couldn't handle money, and he lived a wild life.^[4] In 1798 he became one of the three directors at the City and Public Works Department of the City Amsterdam, after his predecessor had to leave because of his support of the Orange family (this was between the revolution and the inclusion in the French Empire).