Considering this bridge once went by a mere number, would you believe it now carries the name of a celebrated artist? This is the Charlotte van Pallandtbrug. It is bridge 668 in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. Let’s uncover its story.
In 1958, this duikerbrug which translates to culvert bridge was built. It provided a vital link. It connected Johan Jongkindstraat and Comeniusstraat. Peter Pennink from the Dienst der Publieke Werken designed it. He was responsible for several bridges. These bridges crossed the drainage canals of the ringspoordijk in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. They share a similar design.
The Charlotte van Pallandtbrug features a concrete culvert. It is encased in retaining walls of rough basalt stone. The balustrade is concrete. Metal railings top it. Pennink frequently used this style on his bridges.
Initially, the Charlotte van Pallandtbrug was only known by its bridge number. It was simply 668. However, on November 28, 2017, the city council decided to rename it. It was named in honor of the artist Charlotte van Pallandt. The council meant to make the change on November 7, 2017. But they forgot to include the Charlotte van Pallandtbrug in a series of bridge renamings.
Charlotte van Pallandt was a Dutch painter and sculptor. She was born in Arnhem in 1898. She died in Noordwijk in 1997. She is considered one of the most important Dutch sculptors of the twentieth century.
Van Pallandt’s talent was clear early on. She excelled at drawing, painting, and playing piano. A career as an artist was not typical for women then. After her marriage ended, she pursued her artistic path.
In 1926, she studied in Paris. She attended the Académie of cubist painter André Lhote. Until 1928, she worked as a painter and draughtswoman. She befriended the painter Kees Verwey.
Van Pallandt started sculpting in 1929. She trained in Paris. There she learned from Charles Despiau and Charles Malfray. Her first major surviving sculpture is a torso of a young girl made in 1930.
In 1953, she created a statue of Queen Juliana. In 1968, she made the famous statue of Queen Wilhelmina. A stone version stands in Rotterdam. A bronze copy was placed in front of Paleis Noordeinde in The Hague twenty years later. Van Pallandt specialized in portraits and nudes.
Her work can be seen in several museums. These include the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo. Also the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam displays her art.
The Charlotte van Pallandtbrug, now named for a remarkable artist, is more than just a crossing. It is a tribute to Dutch art history.