Development of transport (1942) Adriaan van der Plas
These nine terracotta ornaments around the entrance of the former headquarters of the RET together form the 'Development of transport'. At the bottom it starts with carrier pigeons, above that carriages and (ferries) boats are visible. In the arch at the top you can see the first buses and trams with passengers, as the RET used them when this depot was built in the early 1940s. In the middle under the letters RET is a coat of arms and the city of Rotterdam. The whole contains many details and is a beautiful decoration with a monumental quality. Around the corner on the facade of the former garage on Sluisjesdijk, sculptor Adriaan van der Plas made another facade relief. It says Hermes depicted, the Greek god of travelers. The original RET logo is depicted in the lower right corner.
Adriaan van der Plas (Rotterdam, 1899 - Kerkrade, 1974) specialized in religious art and design. He studied at the Rotterdam art academy. Van der Plas received a bronze medal for nude figure drawing and he received three Royal Grants. From 1921 to 1923 he made study trips through Europe and then settled permanently in Rotterdam. He drew delicately and with care, made prints and paintings, including murals for De Doelen in 1935, a Way of the Cross in front of St. Bavo in Heemstede. In 1940 he made the mural 'Viribus Unitis' for the Jungerhans family's emergency shop on Mathenesserlaan.