Mari Andriessen, Bronze sculpture of Dutch Princess Beatrix, ca. 1980

Mari Silvester Andriessen (1897-1979) is one of the most well-known Dutch sculptors of the 20th century, famous for his portraits. Andriessen made several busts of Dutch Princess Beatrix van Oranje-Nassau. Beatrix, who also makes beautiful sculptures herself, respected Andriessen very much. He was her teacher and an inspiration to her. This portrait was made around 1980, the year in which Beatrix was inaugurated as Queen of The Netherlands. The original receipt from the artist for this bronze dates from 1981. Mari Andriessen went to the Rijksacademie voor Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam, followed by the academy in Munich, where the famous professor Jan Bronner was one of his teachers. Bronner taught him that a sculpture should be clean and clear. After the Second World War many cities wanted a war memorial and thanks to the teachings of Bronner Andriessen got many commissions for large sculptures. Later he also got many commissions for memorial sculptures of famous Dutch people such as Queen Wilhelmina (mother of Queen Beatrix). The bronze portrait is independent from the stone base it rests on. Measurements: total height 45 cm, height of the bronze sculpture 35 cm.