Water, Land, Licht

Water, Land, Licht stands in Amsterdam as a stone relief sculpture by Jan Meefout, mounted on a freestanding column. Its rounded, abstract forms show three human figures among flowers, fish, and birds. One swimmer moves through fish, one figure stands on the ground, and one flies among birds. Together, these scenes represent water, land, and air beside the Nieuwe Meersluis.

The city commissioned the work for the construction of the lock, making it Meefout’s largest project. He developed the design through sketches, a clay model, and a plaster model before carving the stone. A lifting frame raised the shell-limestone block into position, where Meefout worked directly for about two years. The year 1957 appears carved at the top, while a small workshop once stood beside the brick wall behind it. Salt damage has marked that wall over time, contrasting with the relief’s enduring muschelkalk surface.