The Keeper Arie Teeuwisse
Donated in 1989, to mark the 150th anniversary of ARTIS.
The Keeper is a tribute to the ARTIS zookeepers.
An anniversary gift
ARTIS celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1988. To celebrate this anniversary, the staff donated ‘The Keeper’, a bronze sculpture by artist Arie Teeuwisse. A scale model was presented during a gala evening, and a year later the statue was permanently installed near the current Scimitar-horned Oryx Field.
Teeuwisse and the keepers at ARTIS .
Teeuwisse frequently worked at ARTIS and built up a good relationship with the keepers. ARTIS staff even helped him go into hiding during World War II. During the Hongerwinter (the Dutch famine of 1944-45), he sought refuge in the polar bears' night enclosure. The sculpture ‘The Keeper’ is therefore also a tribute to the zookeepers who came to his aid.
Artwork in detail
- made in
- 1989
- created by
- Arie Teeuwisse
- made of
- bronze
- dimensions
- 114 cm (h) x 28 cm (w) x 28 cm (d)
Animal care past and present
The profession of zookeeper has changed a great deal over the years. Previously, young boys used to learn on the job and received no special training. Animals were viewed and handled differently, and there was little knowledge about their natural behaviour. These days, the animals’ well-being is the top priority, with the result that you no longer see zookeepers walking around with a monkey on their arm, or leading an elephant. Much to our disappointment, they also seem to have stopped wearing their fancy hats!
