1840

Pieter Vlaanderen is born on 8 September in Amsterdam as the son of the milkman Rijk Vlaanderen and Elisabeth Kool.

1864

Pieter Vlaanderen becomes a business partner of Johannes Frederik Huik Sr. (1829-1911) in his portrait studio ‘De Rembrandt’ at Rokin E 167 in Amsterdam. It is not known whether Vlaanderen had received any previous training in photography or whether it was Huik who taught him the profession.

1865

On 11 May, Vlaanderen weds Teuntje Molenberg (1837-1919).

Atelier Huik & Vlaanderen takes part in the Tentoonstelling van Photographie Photolithographie, enz. (‘Exhibition of Photography, Photolithography, etc.’) at the Paleis van Volksvlijt (‘Palace of Industry’) in Amsterdam. The entry concerns portraits without retouching, retouched portraits, and carte-de-visite portraits.

In late July, the business opens a studio at Gelderschekade wijk 2, no. 44 in Rotterdam, under the name of J.F. Huik & Co. As in Amsterdam, the studio makes portraits and sells ‘copies’ of celebrities.

1867

Vlaanderen leaves Amsterdam. On 6 May, he establishes a photo studio at Verdronkenoord D 34 in Alkmaar. He calls the studio ‘De Rembrandt’. (This name could perhaps suggest that the business was in fact a branch of Huik’s studio in Amsterdam. No solid evidence has been found, however, to indicate a lasting affiliation between the two studios.)

Vlaanderen devotes his efforts to making portraits and typically leaves the photographing of cityscapes to a specialist in that genre, L.A.A. Perrin (1837-1890), another photographer in Alkmaar, located at Hoogstraat B 126.

1871-1941

Leonard Vlaanderen, the son of Pieter Vlaanderen and Teuntje Molenberg, is born in Alkmaar on 20 September 1871. Leonard studies to become a photographer and retoucher with C.F. van Steensel van der Aa. He then works as a retoucher for F.W.A. (Max) Büttinghausen (1847-1906) and G.M. (Willy) Zimmermann (1873-1951). Later, Leonard Vlaanderen works with his stepfather Jacques Chrispijn (Leiden 18 June 1851–27 September 1917 Leiden).

On 31 July 1902, Leonard Vlaanderen opens a photography studio at Oude Gracht 201 in Alkmaar. Leonard Vlaanderen dies on 10 May 1941 in Alkmaar.

1873

On 26 October, Camilus Franciscus van Steensel van der Aa, a photographer from Friesland (Nijehaske 17 July 1847–17 June 1915 Alkmaar), establishes a studio at Oude Gracht 513.

1874

On 24 May, Pieter Vlaanderen meets with C.F. Steensel van der Aa. The address of their combined business ‘P. Vlaanderen & C. van der Aa’ is Verdronkenoord 34.

1878

Pieter Vlaanderen dies in Alkmaar.

Teuntje Molenberg, Vlaanderen’s widow, continues the business with Steensel van der Aa. They have affiliate studios in Schagen, Den Helder (Nieuwediep) on the Kanaalweg across from Tivolie, and in Hoorn on the Grote Noord near Breed 165. They advertise new methods for making enlargements as well as restoring the nuances of old, virtually faded photos.

1879-’84

On 2 October 1879, Teuntje Molenberg marries the photographer Jacques Chrispijn, who subsequently enters employment with Steensel van der Aa and becomes a co-partner in the business in 1884.

1895

On 1 January, the ‘De Rembrandt’ studio is dissolved. Van Steensel van der Aa en Chrispijn each go their own way.