Paul Cox Monument to Pierre Bayle (2011)

The program Monument for Pierre Bayle is a work of art that consists of several parts and has been established in phases since 2007. It started with a bronze sofa, which was part of the temporary sculpture route The stranger, which was organized in 2007 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of CBK Rotterdam. The inspiration for this theme was the French philosopher Pierre Bayle (1647–1706), who arrived in Rotterdam as a refugee in 1681 and died 300 years ago in 2006. The sculpture route was the prelude to a monument conceived by Rotterdam artist Paul Cox. Cox sought a form that would not lead to a classical statue, but rather emphasize the sharing of ideas. The benches were inspired by an example he had seen in an eastern English village. That village was filled with benches, erected in memory of the deceased. These were a natural part of public life. This is precisely what Cox also intended with the Monument for Pierre Bayle wanted to realize. His design includes 25 benches with a portrait of Bayle and the line 'Le philosophe de Rotterdam' throughout Rotterdam. The monument is also characterized by a text house, which was temporarily placed near St. Laurentius Cemetery in 2011. The text house features bronze text panels with quotes from Pierre Bayle and is accompanied by four benches. The monument is also significant because of the religious tolerance Bayle advocated during his lifetime. He defended Muslims and atheists in times when they were seen as a threat to society. This makes his ideas still relevant in multicultural Rotterdam. The text house and benches were relocated to the Woudestein campus in 2018. Erasmus University Rotterdam.