Door Yver Bloeit de Kunst

Door Yver Bloeit de Kunst ("Through Zeal the Arts Will Flourish" - also written in the original Dutch as Door Ijver Bloeit de Kunst) was a popular Dutch saying, used by a number of cultural organizations and theatrical companies as their motto. Often this motto then became the name for the company itself.

Het Privaat Hollandsch Toneellievend Gezelschap

Originally used in Cape Town by a Dutch amateur theatre company called Het Privaat Hollandsch Toneellievend Gezelschap ("The Private Dutch Amateur Theatrical Company"), founded in 18**. They tended to perform under the motto as name.

Door Yver Bloeit de Kunst and Honi Soit qui Mal y Pense

It was later also the name under which Honi Soit qui Mal y Pense was continued in 1833 after personal circumstances had forced C.E. Boniface to temporarily retreat from active participation in theatre. It was however short-lived in this form, and continued from 1834 under the name Vlyt en Kunst, after Boniface had returned to take the lead.

Door Yver Bloeit de Kunst 1849-1855

The name re-emerged as the name for a new company in 1848/9, under the leadership of J. Langerman, J. Herholdt, P.J. Richter (who was the secretary) and - according to later reports in 1911, disputed by Bosman (1928) - also the teenager J.C. Combrink. The company was probably founded by dissidents of Hoop en Trouw. P.J. Richter (who was the secretary). It quickly became the premier Dutch company during the second half of the 19th Century. Now included actresses. In June 1855 it closed down for ten years, because no suitable vanue was available.

Door Yver Bloeit de Kunst 1865-1910

In August 1865 it was once more resuscitated, this time by C.J. Combrink, and it entered a very busy and influential period, performing at a variety of venues in Cape Town, Paarl, Stellenbosch, even Robben Island. Its final production was a rather dated performance of a five act tragedy called Het Geheim (ascribed to A de Bruine - most probably a translation of Vulpius's play) on 4 June 1910 at the Good Hope Theatre. They often performed for charity and offered benefits for captains and officers of visiting ships.

[TH, JH]

For more information

See Bosman, 1928.

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