Behold the Westerman Monument Obelisk a tribute to Dr GF Westerman. He was one of the founders of Artis the Amsterdam zoo. Artis opened in 1838. It was a unique venture. Most European zoos were privately owned. Artis aimed for public access especially for the well-to-do. The goal was to advance knowledge of natural history. Artists also benefited from live animal subjects fueling growing interest in animal studies.
The obelisk stands in Artis’s Dutch garden. It commemorates Westerman and the zoo’s other two founders. The inscription “Natura Artis Magistra” means “Nature is the teacher of art”. This reflects Artis’s dual mission science and the arts. Numerous sculptors and painters even from abroad depicted Artis animals. Some of their works are still in Artis today.
This wasn’t Westerman’s only contribution. He was a multifaceted man. He was a painter a playwright a bookseller. He published the Keur van Ned Letteren. He also wrote several plays including “Afkeer en Liefde”. His publication “Voortbrengselen van Uitheemse Vernuften” was praised by Potgieter. Westerman even “improved” Schiller’s Don Carlos. He supported classical tragedy. Victor Hugo’s Romanticism passed him by.
The Westerman Monument wasn’t erected immediately after his death in 1890. It was unveiled in 1891. The sculptor J JF Verdonck was a prominent Artis artist. He was Westerman’s son-in-law. The monument features four marble statues representing the seasons. These were likely acquired in 1882. They found their permanent location in the 1930s. The entire garden including the monument was restored in 2007 and 2009.
Notice the obelisk’s details. A winged figure holds a laurel wreath above Westerman’s portrait. A woman rests on the art’s coat of arms gazing at the man. A lion lies beside her. These symbolize Artis’s motto. The obelisk is topped by a spread-winged eagle. The Westerman Monument Obelisk stands as a lasting legacy. It remembers a man of many talents and a zoo’s ambitious beginnings. It’s a beautiful blend of history art and nature. Remember this spot the next time you visit Artis.