Bust of Simon Carmiggelt, Memorial sculpture in Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Bust of Simon Carmiggelt is a bronze portrait set on a dark stone base in a small park in central Amsterdam. Its face carries a soft, friendly expression, with details that make the writer feel close and familiar.
The bust was made after Simon Carmiggelt died in 1987, when friends and media organizations raised funds for a permanent tribute. Kees Verkade produced two designs in 1988, and the chosen bronze portrait on a granite base was unveiled the same year by the mayor.
The path next to the sculpture is called Kronkelpad, a name taken from Carmiggelt’s short daily columns. A plaque on the base shows his initials and a line from his poem about the love of writing, reminding visitors of his close tie to Amsterdam life.
You can view the bust from the path that runs beside it, and the spot is easy to reach while walking through the area. Sitting on the nearby steel bench gives a moment to pause, though the bench has a slight wobble when used.
Inside the base there is a hollow space holding a small metal box with 4000 transfer slips from people who donated money. The widow lived nearby and was at first reluctant to see her husband’s face every day, but she later accepted the monument.
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