Eert de Vrouw, 1949

Nel Klaassen (Netherlands, 1906-1989)
Sonsbeek ’49, Utrechtsestraat between Museum Arnhem and ArtEZ, Arnhem

A stone statue stands on a man-high stone pedestal. There is an inscription on the pedestal. The small face reveals that the statue is of a female figure. Otherwise, the work is abstract; she appears to be carrying something on her head. She seems winged, like a bird. The statue stands along a low beech hedge full of leaves. To the right of the statue is a wooden bench. — *Photographer: Eva Olthof*

Eert de Vrouw, presented during the first Sonsbeek exhibition in 1949, is both a war monument and a tribute to the steadfast Dutch woman during World War II. The figure gazes out over the Rhine Valley, which in 1944 was the scene of the Battle of Arnhem. On the pedestal, a poem is engraved that commemorates the hidden sorrow and courage of women in wartime. Within the abstract forms of the monument, the winged Greek goddess Nike, personification of victory.

The Arnhem sculptor Nel Klaassen (1906–1989) created the monument on behalf of the municipality of Arnhem. At its unveiling, some controversy arose: critics felt that the powerful and abstract female figure was too modern and “not feminine enough.” Klaassen, however, remained committed to her vision, and the monument was installed as planned.

In a male-dominated art world, Klaassen won the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1932. Her oeuvre includes sculptures, mosaics, and reliefs in public spaces, many of which can still be seen at various locations throughout the Netherlands.

Eert de Vrouw, 1949

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