This Liberation Monument in Vreewijk was made by sculptor Joan Bakker in collaboration with municipal architect Jan Poot. The column is made of red brick, interrupted by collars of French limestone. At eye level, reliefs have been placed that depict dancing youth. The crowning of the column is a lion, also made of French limestone. The text on the column reads: May 5, 1945 - We Commemorate Our CasesThe monument fits in well with the historical part of Tuindorp Vreewijk, which is a cultural heritage site. The detailing of the houses matches the rich detailing of the monument. The initiative came from the residents. Shortly after the liberation, the Tuindorpers had collected 3.000 guilders to erect a memorial in gratitude for the fact that their neighborhood had been spared during the war years. Although an equally large amount was still lacking, the municipality nevertheless commissioned Bakker and Poot to design this monument. It was unveiled on May 4, 1950 by then mayor Oud.
Joannes (Joan) Petrus Anthonius Maria Bakker (Oosterblokker, 1919 - 1999) attended the Academy of Visual Arts in Rotterdam, after which he settled permanently in Rotterdam. He was, among others, a student of Herman Mees (1880 - 1964) and the husband of sculptor and ceramist Riet (Maria) Elias. He made it together with Jan Poot (architect at the Municipality of Rotterdam) Liberation Monument at the Brink in Vreewijk, Feijenoord. He designed ornaments for an office building on the Botersloot with great visual power and clear stonemasonry qualities. He could handle the hardest stone types, in which he applied reliefs with attention to the role of light on the different stone types. Several works by Joan Bakker can be found in Rotterdam.
Gift from residents and the municipality of Rotterdam
Owner
Municipality of Rotterdam
About the artwork
This Liberation Monument in Vreewijk was made by sculptor Joan Bakker in collaboration with municipal architect Jan Poot. The column is made of red brick, interrupted by collars of French limestone. At eye level, reliefs have been placed that depict dancing youth. The crowning of the column is a lion, also made of French limestone. The text on the column reads: May 5, 1945 - We Commemorate Our CasesThe monument fits in well with the historical part of Tuindorp Vreewijk, which is a cultural heritage site. The detailing of the houses matches the rich detailing of the monument. The initiative came from the residents. Shortly after the liberation, the Tuindorpers had collected 3.000 guilders to erect a memorial in gratitude for the fact that their neighborhood had been spared during the war years. Although an equally large amount was still lacking, the municipality nevertheless commissioned Bakker and Poot to design this monument. It was unveiled on May 4, 1950 by then mayor Oud.
Joannes (Joan) Petrus Anthonius Maria Bakker (Oosterblokker, 1919 - 1999) attended the Academy of Visual Arts in Rotterdam, after which he settled permanently in Rotterdam. He was, among others, a student of Herman Mees (1880 - 1964) and the husband of sculptor and ceramist Riet (Maria) Elias. He made it together with Jan Poot (architect at the Municipality of Rotterdam) Liberation Monument at the Brink in Vreewijk, Feijenoord. He designed ornaments for an office building on the Botersloot with great visual power and clear stonemasonry qualities. He could handle the hardest stone types, in which he applied reliefs with attention to the role of light on the different stone types. Several works by Joan Bakker can be found in Rotterdam.
Gift from residents and the municipality of Rotterdam
Owner
Municipality of Rotterdam
Joan Bakker -
Liberation Monument (1950)
We use functional cookies to ensure that our site runs as smoothly as possible. We also use cookies to analyze website visitors.Allow allOnly functional
