In 1778, sculptor Johannes Keerbergen was commissioned by the city of Rotterdam Four lions for the obelisk of the new Hofpoort near Hofplein, which was put into use in 1772. In 1833, the Hofpoort fell victim to a redevelopment plan and the gate was demolished. The Four lions were put away. In 1860 the Four lions a new destination and were placed on the new Koningsbrug, which was soon popularly referred to as the 'Vierleeuwenbrug'. A hundred years later - after the Koningsbrug was demolished - three of the four sandstone lions were placed on either side of the Boerengatsluis. After the flood disaster of 1953, the Maasboulevard was raised to delta height in 1964 and the three lions were placed a little further along the Maasboulevard. When entering the city, they are clearly visible, still alert. Since 1960, one of the lions has been loaned to the Royal Netherlands Army in Ede as a thank you for the defense of the Maas bridges in May 1940. In 2011, this fourth lion was transferred to the barracks in Amersfoort. Due to redevelopment there, the so-called 'Regimentsleeuw' was moved to the General-major Koot Barracks in Garderen in 2018. There he was placed on the Regimental Roll Call Place.
Johannes Keerbergen (Rotterdam, 1742 – Kudelstaart, 1822) was a Dutch sculptor. He made sculptures for various city gates in Rotterdam, such as the Delftse Poort (1770-1772) and the Hofpoort (1778). For the Mennonite church of Rotterdam from 1775 he made the decoration of the organ and the pulpit. And for the Laurenskerk he made the organ decoration of the large organ, but all these works were lost in the bombardment in 1940. From about 1782 until almost the end of his life he made many wooden decorations for warships, such as figureheads, mirrors and side galleries, such as for the Admiralty of Rotterdam. Designs by him have been preserved in the National Archives in The Hague and in various Dutch maritime museums.
On three steps on the Maasboulevard towards the center
Description
Three lying lions
Materials
Sandstone
Dimensions
Height 1.40 m
Year
1778
Client
Municipality of Rotterdam
Owner
Municipality of Rotterdam
About the artwork
In 1778, sculptor Johannes Keerbergen was commissioned by the city of Rotterdam Four lions for the obelisk of the new Hofpoort near Hofplein, which was put into use in 1772. In 1833, the Hofpoort fell victim to a redevelopment plan and the gate was demolished. The Four lions were put away. In 1860 the Four lions a new destination and were placed on the new Koningsbrug, which was soon popularly referred to as the 'Vierleeuwenbrug'. A hundred years later - after the Koningsbrug was demolished - three of the four sandstone lions were placed on either side of the Boerengatsluis. After the flood disaster of 1953, the Maasboulevard was raised to delta height in 1964 and the three lions were placed a little further along the Maasboulevard. When entering the city, they are clearly visible, still alert. Since 1960, one of the lions has been loaned to the Royal Netherlands Army in Ede as a thank you for the defense of the Maas bridges in May 1940. In 2011, this fourth lion was transferred to the barracks in Amersfoort. Due to redevelopment there, the so-called 'Regimentsleeuw' was moved to the General-major Koot Barracks in Garderen in 2018. There he was placed on the Regimental Roll Call Place.
Johannes Keerbergen (Rotterdam, 1742 – Kudelstaart, 1822) was a Dutch sculptor. He made sculptures for various city gates in Rotterdam, such as the Delftse Poort (1770-1772) and the Hofpoort (1778). For the Mennonite church of Rotterdam from 1775 he made the decoration of the organ and the pulpit. And for the Laurenskerk he made the organ decoration of the large organ, but all these works were lost in the bombardment in 1940. From about 1782 until almost the end of his life he made many wooden decorations for warships, such as figureheads, mirrors and side galleries, such as for the Admiralty of Rotterdam. Designs by him have been preserved in the National Archives in The Hague and in various Dutch maritime museums.
On three steps on the Maasboulevard towards the center
Description
Three lying lions
Materials
Sandstone
Dimensions
Height 1.40 m
Year
1778
Client
Municipality of Rotterdam
Owner
Municipality of Rotterdam
Johannes Keerbergen -
Four lions (1778)
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