Sculpture: Mermaid with child, 1963
Material: Bronze
Dimensions/height: 2.80 m (incl. plinth)
Location: Herman Heijermansweg Garden of ‘House in the Dunes’
Ownership: Zorgcontact Foundation
Sculptor: Nel Klaassen
Innovative life
After the parks route in the bird district we continue the art route to the Zandvoortselaan where the statue of artist Nel Klaassen has been given a nice spot. Although the statue is not owned by the municipality of Zandvoort but by the Foundation, we still want to pay attention to the beautiful work of art. Mayor van Fenema unveiled it on 28 November 1963 and the work of art still stands on the lawn by the pond after all these years. The statue was a free assignment and was donated by the Foundation board to the residents. The work of art is a mermaid who lifts her young mermaid above her head in her raised arms. The mermaid that can be found in mythology, symbolizes the ever-renewing life and the connection with the water, from which we originate. The design, in plaster, has been given on loan and can be admired in ‘Huis in de Duinen’. The statue ‘mermaid with child’ is not the only work of art by the Zandvoort artist. There are a total of three objects by her in Zandvoort. Unfortunately, one statue was stolen from the Golf school building in 2009.
Nel Klaassen (Arnhem 1906- Amsterdam 1989)
Petronella Hélene Klaassen’s artistic disposition was recognized and encouraged early by her parents. As a result, she received drawing lessons at the Genootschap Kunstoefening in Arnhem on her ninth birthday, where she followed the general daytime course after her secondary school. Under the guidance of ‘city sculptor’ Jacobs van ‘t Hof, she learned to sculpt in clay, wood and later in stone. In the mid-twenties, Van ‘t Hof encouraged Nel to go to the legendary professor Jan Bronner at the Rijksacademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam. Bierens de Haan, also affiliated with the Rijksacademie, provided her with a grant of fl. 45 per month. The further life of Nel Klaassen is also depicted in the image jumping girls (no. 12).