Untitled (1957) Han Rehm

photo BKOR archive
About the artwork

The 1940 bombing also destroyed the old “Graanhuis” at Wijnhaven 50-52. The Committee of Grain Traders Rotterdam then decided to have a new office building built at Wijnhaven number 99-101. This “Grainhuis” was designed by Chris Elffers and opened in 1957. From the construction budget, artist Han Rehm was commissioned to make four facade reliefs. The projecting facade panels depict from top to bottom: a grain mill, a grain elevator, grain sheaves and the harvesting of the grain by a farmer. The four bricks are made quite modest, but because they protrude from the building they stand out more. With these facing bricks, Rehm depicted the economic revival of Rotterdam after the war.

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About the artist

Artist Han Rehm (Rotterdam, 1908 - Rotterdam, 1970) studied art at the Reading University in England and subsequently studied drawing at the Rotterdam art academy for a short period. Afterwards he studied sculpture at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. In 1930 he also went to study sculpture in Vienna. In 1935 he settled in his own studio in Kralingen. In addition to being a sculptor, he was active as a medalist. Among other things, he made a medal for Leiden University (1958). Han Rehm is best known in Rotterdam for his work The load carrier on the Kop van Zuid and the statue of the Olympic athlete Fanny Blankers-Koen in Blijdorp.

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