The angel by artist Anna van Kooten and the poem by Henri Looijmans ended up together on the wall of this house more or less by chance. Van Kooten initially designed the sculpture as a sign for a temporary employment agency in Monickendam. However, the client found the sculpture too large. The artist was unwilling to compromise on her work, so the installation did not go ahead.

Van Kooten runs her own gallery and studio under the name ‘Ik’ in the Jeker Quarter. At one point, the poet Henri Looijmans moved into the white corner house diagonally opposite. The two quickly agreed that the bronze angel would look lovely on the white façade of Looijmans’ house. They set up a committee of local residents who campaigned for the installation of their joint artwork in 2015.

About the creators
Anna van Kooten (1945) studied sculpture at the Royal Academy in The Hague and has her own studio and gallery at Sint Bernardusstraat 17. Henri Looijmans (1956) is a change manager, having previously worked for the Municipality of Maastricht, amongst other organisations. As a poet, he was Middelburg’s city poet in 2011/2012.

What’s there to see?
The poem on the façade goes as follows:
The words that drove us
Carved lives into stone
They sing loudly and impassively
In the façades all around us

From ‘De Engel aan de Wand’, you can explore the historic Jeker Quarter. It is one of the oldest parts of Maastricht, where the façades and walls still have plenty of stories in store for you. Here, you’ll find yourself close to the Helpoort, the oldest surviving city gate in the Netherlands.

You’ll find ‘Engel aan de Wand’ in the Jeker Quarter

Location

In the Jeker Quarter, you’ll find atmospheric restaurants and cafés with the best outdoor terraces, the historic city wall, a bakery with a watermill where flour is ground for the tastiest vlaai, and, if you’re lucky, live music on the street.

Discover Jeker Quarter