© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

6/1/1957 - Holland I, Marl Andriessen by Boyd R. Compton

NOT FOR PUBLICATION Hollan I Mari Andiessen INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Laan O Inie I The Hague The Tetherlands June I Mr W S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York York Dear Mr Rogers Despite their illustrious noteworthy present people Netherlands modest wisdom about world ignores their recent cultural accomplishments After wants novels poetry minor Isnguage study paintings Paris hours A visitor should argue against modesty It basis realism furthermore supported iceberg fashion great underlying moral certitude which condemns bragging ostentation On other visitor discover unexpected pleasures sidesteps modesty looks himself An excellent place start looking field plastic which exoeriencog surprising since ended In letter I focus remarks sculptor Mari Andriessen unveiled latest commemorative bronze surging Rotterdam other before admiring Princess Wilhe press photo rophe thousands burgers The Princess later congratulations letter which Andriessen answered after amused Andriessen Rotterdam onument conjectures proper dignity royalty artist A modern minded critics withheld their praises Genersl Rotterdam citizenry seems satisfie Anriessen performed major commission distinction The explicit powerfully moral almost bruts instructive about tleme wartime soirit which gutted German bombers May Like Ariessen other ments escribes moral strength victims rather their actual trials In short In _oerios Andriessen seems paying homage another quality limits given particular distinction It characteristically Dutch spirit which local communities commission several hundred monuments twelve years other European country Iss spent equivalent energy trying permsDent moral value exoeriences occupation A later oneration better judge quality small bronze stone works producec Andicssen adequate their purpose others failed ludicrously cross roads monument which contains flashing traffic light On outsider wonders whether later eneration living which uncompromising instructions about firig squads bombings genocide Leaving considerations aside moment enough observe sculpture reborn major lowlans durino these years since renaissance flourishin Flemish carving Dutch people supported sculptors lived closely their products Andriessen crested postwar reputation spacious studio outsis Haarlem Within minutes after interview began speaking about subject which seems permanently lodgec accessible oarts Dutch There something incongruous impressive watcIing gentle Andriessen experiences Resistance TIe incident place sitting where comed coffee cigarettes When Tazi secret police front resistance meeting broke comrades raced woods Andriessen locked himself closet BRC I studio leaving witness inevitable search Once locked remembered package containin revolvers 01ain sight wooden chest sitting pictures disaster flashing through Anriessen greeted searchers nonchalantly pocketed pckage The searched chest thoroughly moved alcove At point Andriessen alcove opened cabinet below shelf which supports plaster models later works While I watch reached assortment bottles panels aside Here where hidden Lucky He simple delight innocence For moment heroism Dutch resist seemed expressed fieuaism underground agents lanky white maned artist Superficially Andriessen background underground leader stock piles though suited admirably commemorating Resistance heroic scale bronzes He Haarlem family which produced distinguished musicians As Roman Catholic birth member religious minority Protestant Haarlem His religious sculpture which found today Catholic churches Netberlands brought tradition bound taste small commissions church authorities rather their wloich limited interest secular themes after The qualities which distinguish either beriod certainly related Catholic upbringing passion music ozart Ie influenced discernibly however eminent beloved Professor J Bronner family friend first princi Royal Acad Amster In talking admiringly Bronner Andriessen acknowledging which almost Dutch sculptors share Admirers Bronner father Dutch sculpture though would accurate assign honorary oarenthood elders Lamberts Zij imaginative endes Costa Justified fathr metaphor describing authority which Bronner excercise Dutch sculpture which nither Dutch remarkable discinline centr A oeriod Paris exoosed Bronner which later Picssso their exuberant istic abstraction When professorship acaev Amter Iad started stone picces brand monrme In years since helped ripen younger Andriessen Hall Esser maker unconventional amusing bronzes baseball ayers Bronner Zildebrand monument finished Oddly enough forty years aloof project gests onner strength teacher rather intermittan quality inspiration worked orodiious essentials seriousness rations pssse pupils At worst attention simplification Tire eroic styIe which lesser Dutch artists icted oublic In cases helped artists Andriessen bring their capacities honesty rigorous control msteris settimg forum theme Amsterdam Strikin Dockworker Haarlem Resistance Fighter BRC HOlland I Looking cluttered corners Andriessen studio evidence Bronner prize pupils The scores plaster metal models standing around subjects general unity style masses composed dependable sense harmony element abstrac controlled rationsl total plastic effect extreme simpl which onlooker elemental static depending tastes Th whole studio seems argue occupant finds enough without diving obscure depths It striking however examples Gothic style sight elongated bronze portrait gentleman ascetic version The Annunciation Of course there special reason works seventeen years should evidence probably something Andriessen intense modesty impact His modesty frien enshroud minor concocted facts friendly exaggerations The typical story seems walkin through Hasrlem Amsterdam Enschede companions suddenly excuse himself flimsy pretext agree friends minutes later point farther When happens coming section where Andriessen monuments stands He seemed showing nraise I about remarkable panels carved coromandel High Count building before He quickly ttrned conversation around bronze portrait froot building which close friend Hall executed before Andriessen would leave doubt whatsoever Hall superior sculptor Van Hall Poland casualty which given Dutch nation chance shout moral lsion When Andriessen emerged period during which closest friend ozens Yewish friends disappear himself played dangerous shadowy underground prepared Dutch communities represent their sense shock wonder permanent plastic His through transformation earlier Gothic blocky elemental heroic style which suited perfectly important commissions receive One first commissions An4riessen response style later Haarlem works He inspiration magazine photograph showing Greek partisan before German firing squad His creation Bo I Left Andriessen models ozart Right Example prewar Gothic style religious pture brutally simplified bronze version thesame scene which Dutch resistance fighter before German S rifles idealized state courage rssignati6n Its message inescapable unsubtle moral issues country where Calvin mighty influence Probably successful Andriessen commemoration monuments gigantic bronze figure eraged worker stands square ceoter Amsterdam former Jewish quarter Iolland small vigorous minority Jews before I04000 these executed Anne Frank attic locaed where Andriessen bronze mbolizes spontaneous strike which Amster comunist okers anched protest prohibit further sbipmeo Jews their The bronze worker maker credit merging naturally setting impact anger softened overhanging shade Otill I wonder without being compelled imagination strike burly armed workers break Tazis their knees More ambitious successful An riessen BRC HolIand I monument Enschede close German borer It Andriessen years finish seven large bronze groups which spread geometric formation Enscede lovely parks photographs I group appears unifying element apart common experience uniform sized hostage soldiero Jewish motIer victim intellectuals resistance fighter depicted With completion Rotterdam monment Andriessen apparently arrived limits accomplish particular style monuments He thinks repeating himself obviously Like entire Dmtch nation feels memory conspicuoms place postw At sixty Mari Andriessen could hardly expecte begin experimenting raSicslly expression models monuments commemorating Zeelan4 flood freedom earlier works immense blocky hands reaching earth other shows birds rising beautifully abstracted design presumably suggesting victory flood waters composition lively could almost taken represent Andriessen himself escaping depressing heroic postwar themes But these soaring birds would probably considered sensible beautiful Zeelan paying seems Andriessen understood appreciated Now sculotor paying public homage varieties heroism paying respects Mozart series plaster models showing composer vagious different poses These models seemed quite Andriessen Haarlem studio little ocking I prominently displayed Sunday exhibition Netherlands Sculpture Rotterdam suggest grace refinement civilization quslities which ownright improper according strict conventions observed works younger sculptors whose exhibited As always Andriessen modestly goiog Dutchman opera within limits competence No matter where Andriessen stamp firmly imprinted sculpture years It curious decade which Dutch sculotors eojoyed confidence public prospered I painter claims Dutch sculptors smoke expensive cigars It neither soorting Now commissions monuments BRC I stopped coming generation otors probably enough experience garrets skimpy meals satisfy conventional L Boheme In meanime An riessen eneration artists convinced Dutch public sculpture thing Their works alrea remade sopearance several Dutch cities It wortbm watching their products commemoration other types expression Boyd R Compton Received Nw York