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 and made the drawings for the decoration of the interior. The building was planned by Heer J. Schouten. It is a museum of Art and applied Art. Josef Israëls, Hendrik Willem Mesdag, and the late Mevrouw Mesdag van Houten were the first contributors to the institution, which owes its origin to the late Heer van Meerten, a great and intelligent collector of things beautiful, and as early as 1894 he had entrusted to his friends Heeren Le Comte and J. Schouten the task of grouping his collection in a fine museum, but, owing to commercial losses, he was compelled to abandon his generous scheme, and his death temporarily suspended its being carried out. Thereupon a few friends formed themselves into a Dutch Art Syndicate, purchased a house, and presented the museum to the State.

The Municipality of Amsterdam has this