Untitled (children playing - spelende kinderen)

About this artwork.

Two highly simplified figures have been given the byname Children playing. With their heads and hands against each other, the boy balances on the girl like an acrobat. At the time the stone carving was portrayed in this way and not the other way around because Mrs Masters pointed out to her husband that this was more logical, because the girl is wearing a skirt.

In the course of his career as a sculptor, Master's work became more abstract, which led to a further simplification of the human figure in his limestone sculptures between 1950 and 1970.

Children playing was a gift from housing association Volkshuisvesting to the municipality of Groningen. The stone carving was placed in the Zonnelaan near the Castorflat where in 1970 the 5000th house of the Volkshuisvesting was handed over to its new tenants. A second reason for the gift was the sixtieth anniversary of the housing association.

On the Sabangplein stands a statue of Masters that resembles Children playing. The two figures rolling on top of each other are popularly called Buitelende kinderen.

The sculptor and master craftsman Mattheus Meesters, born in Haren in 1908, received lessons at the M.T.S. school in Groningen at the Department of Applied Arts and Crafts. The famous Groningen artist Willem Valk was his teacher there. Various works of art by Matthew Masters can be found in the city. One of his most famous works is a statue in the Noorderplantsoen, which the artist referred to as Untitled, but which became known as Sun-worshipper (Zonaanbidster).

Facts & Figures.

• Design
  Mattheus Meesters

• District
  Paddepoel (incl. Tuinwijk)

• Year of creation
  1970

• Art type
  Freestanding sculpture

• Dimensions
  h 2,35 m