A bronze woman stands before you. She holds a basket overflowing with fish. This is the Visvrouw statue in Amsterdam-Noord.
The Visvrouw isn’t just a pretty sculpture. It’s a tribute. A tribute to the women of Nieuwendam. These women were fishmongers. They sold the catches of the Nieuwendam fishermen. The statue shows a moment frozen in time. A moment when the village was still by the sea. When the daily rhythm was fishing and selling.
The Visvrouw’s creator is Karin Beek. She also created a statue of a male fishmonger. It’s a companion piece to this Visvrouw. Together they capture a vital part of Nieuwendam’s past. The statue’s location isn’t random. It sits in a small park. It’s at the intersection of Purmerweg and Schermerstraat. A visitor to Open Ateliers Noord in 2013 suggested the statue. She wrote to the Amsterdam-Noord council. The council and the artist agreed on the Purmerweg location.
The Visvrouw was unveiled on July 15 2015. A member of the Amsterdam Noord council did the honours. So did the woman who had the idea for the statue. A herring stall stands nearby. The Visvrouw seems to invite touch. The artist approves of this. She wants people to connect with her work. The Visvrouw is more than a statue. It’s a celebration of a bygone era. It’s a reminder of the women who made Nieuwendam what it was. It’s a piece of history brought to life in bronze. It’s a treasure waiting to be discovered. And it’s right here waiting for you.