On the night of 17-18 April 1929, the Paleis voor Volksvlijt (Palace of National Industry) burned down in a dramatic fire, with just one of the galleries remaining standing. This head was one of the few surviving objects found amongst the ashes. Well-known Amsterdam residents, including the artist Wim T. Schippers (b. 1942), campaign to this day for rebuilding of the Paleis voor Volksvlijt. The Paleis voor Volksvlijt stood on the Frederiksplein, where the building of the Nederlandse Bank now stands. The palace was imposing, and was inspired by London’s Crystal Palace (1885). Cornelis Outshoorn (1810-1875) was responsible for the building’s design, for which he was commissioned by city philanthropist Samuel Sarphati (1813-1866). The building was constructed entirely in steel and glass and was a highly typical example of nineteenth-century architecture.