Unveiling Thorbecke monument

Monument in The Hague for the 19th century statesman J.R. Thorbecke

Saturday 11 February 2017, 11.30 hrs
Location: Lange Voorhout / Tournooiveld, The Hague
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Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte and The Hague mayor Jozias van Aartsen will be present at the unveiling of the monument for the 19th century statesman J.R. Thorbecke. The sculptor Thom Puckey created an intriguing ensemble with an almost cinematic look and feel. In his monument the 19th century meets the 21st century. The reflection of the ideas of Thorbecke in our time is palpable in his gaze towards the Dutch parliament buildings across the street. For his sculpture Thom Puckey used an unusual combination of materials: marble and stainless steel.

The model for the Thorbecke monument was first displayed in the exhibition Remembered Always... What is the colour of monuments in The Hague? in Atrium Den Haag, 2015.

The Thorbecke monument is the result of a 2008 initiative of the City of The Hague to create a monument for Johan Rudolph Thorbecke, to compliment the existing statues of key Dutch politicians like Johan de Witt, Johan van Oldenbarnevelt and Willem Drees.

Stroom Den Haag gave advice and supervised the project.

Johan Rudolph Thorbecke (1798-1872) lived and worked in The Hague for a considerable number of years. In 1848 he drafted the revision of the Constitution of the Netherlands, giving less power to the king, and more to the States General of the Netherlands. Other Thorbecke statues are to be found in Zwolle (his birthplace) and in Amsterdam.
More about Thorbecke on Wikipedia.

Thom Puckey, Thorbecke monument (detail)
photo: courtesy Thom Puckey
Unveiling of the Thorbecke monument by Mark Rutte and Jozias van Aartsen
photo: Stroom Den Haag
Unveiling of the Thorbecke monument by Mark Rutte and Jozias van Aartsen
photo: Stroom Den Haag
Thorbecke monument ready to be unveiled
photo: Stroom Den Haag
Model Thorbecke monument, Thom Puckey, 2015
photo: Mylene Siegers, courtesy Stroom Den Haag