Dutch Bridge

Max Pollak

Max Pollak selected the central section of the "Magere Brug" in Amsterdam. The title translates to English as the "Skinny Bridge" which spans the Amstel River, and was originally built in 1691 as a 13 arch bridge with a central bascule of white-painted wood. It has been restored and replaced numerous times since. A "bascule" bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that balances a span as it swings upward to provide clearance for boat traffic.

This bridge allegedly was built by two wealthy sisters who lived on opposite sides of the river and wanted to visit daily. They couldn't afford to build a usual high, wide bridge so instead built this "skinny" version instead. It is now lit with 1200 lights and is considered by many to be the most romantic bridge in Amsterdam.

Pollak features the bridge using a purple/black ink which adds a slightly warm, foggy atmosphere to the composition and softens it even more by using roulette to define the piers of the bridge. The counterweights hover overhead and the small figures crossing the bridge' span give the viewer a sense of the scale of the structure.