Civic Hall -Town Hall Rotterdam

Bert made this painting of the Civic Hall of the Rotterdam Town Hall as a result of a visit to the Coolsingel in Rotterdam some time ago.
Bert has painted two Rotterdam icons in the painting: the boxer Bep van Klaveren is standing in his characteristic position on the left and the football player Coen Moulijn (at the ball) can be found in the back on the right side. Behind the curtain in the front on the right, a little boy is watching.

The Burgerzaal is the main hall on the first floor. The room is used for official receptions, book presentations, prize ceremonies, cultural gatherings and receptions after wedding ceremonies in the adjacent wedding room. There is an organ from 1920 and the room is decorated with murals by Johan Thorn Prikker, which Bert has also incorporated into his painting. The canvases on the long wall with representations such as "Dike Breakthrough" and "Brand" were initially found to be too sinister and modern. Part of it was therefore stored and was only applied after the Second World War. The colorful wall painting on the headboard, also by Thorn Prikker, was also not completed until later. It represents the future of Rotterdam, with many flags, weapons and numbers. The weapons are from independent municipalities that were annexed by Rotterdam at the time. They are grouped around the golden letters SPQR.
The letters S.P.Q.R. stand for Senatus Populus Que Roterodamus, which means: the senate and the people of Rotterdam (derived from Senatus Populus Que Romanus = the senate and the Roman people).