Untitled (1953) Reed Elias
This now municipal monument is located on Hoogstraat 198, with a tile tableau by artist Maria Bakker-Elias, also known as Riet Elias, on the facade. The building was designed by the Kraaijvanger brothers in 1953 for the Lampe fashion store. Nowadays there is an Aktiesport and a part of Peek & Cloppenburg. On the facade are 12 ceramic tiles with various plant motifs and animals, such as a ram, rabbit, horse and a crow. This decorative work was made during the construction of the then new shop building. The work fits well within the architecture. The facade decorations of Hoogstraat 196, 198 and 200 can together be regarded as an ensemble of the reconstruction period.
Riet Elias (Rotterdam, 1919 – Boxmeer, 2010), also known as Maria Bakker-Elias, was educated at the Academy of Visual Arts in Rotterdam. She was a sculptor, maker of mosaics and ceramicist. After living and working in Rotterdam for a while, she moved to Boxmeer in Brabant in 1960. She was married to visual artist Joan Bakker, of which several sculptures are present in Rotterdam.