Behind closed Doors

by Bert Hermans · Gouda, NL

This painting shows one of the beautiful marble corridors of the town hall in Leiden. In 2020 and 2021, the town hall is undergoing extensive renovations. From Saturday, January 4, 2020, the town hall will therefore be temporarily closed. Bert was able, thanks to his brother-in-law who has worked in the town hall, to visit the building just before its closure in December 2019. The beautiful marble corridors and staircases will also not be accessible to the public during the restoration. The title of the painting 'Behind closed doors' refers not only to the (temporary) closure of the town hall but also to the refugees who wait for access to the free world behind the closed doors at the end of the corridor.