Untitled (Sun-worshipper - Zonaanbidster)

About this artwork.

Barefoot, with her knees raised and her head back, the girl basks in the sun. The statue, which the audience calls Sun-worshipper (Zonaanbidster), makes a massive impression because the figure is represented in basic shapes. Naturalistic details such as muscles, hair or pleats in her dress are omitted. The block of limestone from which the sculpture is made is still clearly visible in the contours of the sitting girl.

The depiction of human figures and other subjects in simplified and abstracted shapes goes back to the ideas of the German sculptor Adolf von Hildebrand (1847-1921). In the 19th century, it was customary for the sculptor to leave the elaboration of his design to a stonemason. Von Hildebrand acted against that attitude. In his book Das Problem der Form in der bildenden Kunst (The Problem of Form in Visual Art) from 1893, he made a plea for direct chopping in stone, based on a drawing on the block. In addition, he felt that the emphasis should be placed on general head shapes, in order to arrive at a general type rather than an individual person. This reformulation of the foundations of sculpture has been of great importance for the development of Dutch 20th century sculpture, among other things. This sculptural approach can also be found in the work of Meesters. In Sun-worshipper, individual characteristics are omitted, making her universal in her silent enjoyment of the sun.

Until 1954, the girl was in the grass. However, the then Municipal Department of Urban Planning and Housing objected to this and gave her a plinth.

The sculptor and master craftsman Mattheus Meesters, born in Haren in 1908, received lessons at the M.T.S. school in Groningen at the Department of Applied Arts and Crafts. The famous Groningen artist Willem Valk was his teacher there. Various works of art by Matthew Masters can be found in the city. One of his most famous works is a statue in the Noorderplantsoen, which the artist referred to as Untitled, but which became known as Sun-worshipper (Zonaanbidster).

Facts & Figures.

• Design
  Mattheus Meesters

• District
  Oranjebuurt (incl. Noorderplantsoen)

• Year of creation
  1952

• Art type
  Freestanding sculpture

• Material
  Limestone (euville)

• Dimensions
  h 1,57 m; sokkel h 0,72 x b 0,57 x d 0,75 m