This week we bought a little sculpture by Jean van der Poll. Officially it is untitled and it is listed as made in 1969. We call it "girl with ball". For the last three years this statue sat on our living room table. My wife's daughters Lisa and Janne gave it to us as a wedding present. More specifically they paid the art library's fee so that we could keep the statue for one year. For two years in a row we renewed this arrangement, because we really like it. This year they did not let us renew it again, so we bought it. I have googled the artist, but apart from a few old newspaper clippings, I did not find much. One of these clippings was an article "Metaal- en glaskunst van Jean v.d. Poll" dated October 3rd 1967 in "Utrechts Nieuwsblad". Apparently Jean van der Poll held an exhibition in Bilthoven around that date. The art critic mentions an object he calls "girl with ball". This has to be our girl! The art library has another sculpture by the same artist. Presently someone else has this work, but we have already reserved it.
UPDATE (07-05-2014): The artist contacted us and we met in his home. We showed him our two sculptures (yes, we bought the second one too) and he showed us a lot of his other work. He told us he is terminally ill and he and his wife really appreciated us coming to see him and show him his own two sculptures from so long ago. It was a memorable meeting.
Jean van der Poll is inmiddels 84 jaar en woont in Zeist.
Sincerely yours,
Juliette.