Cornelis Zitman (1926-2016)

Dutch born sculptor Cornelis Zitman decided to leave the Netherlands after graduating from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. He travelled to Venezuela in 1947 and moved afterwards to the city of Caracas. The native people and especially the women on the islands near the coast of the country formed the inspiration for many of his sculptures. According to Zitman, these women had a sensual look which he deeply admired and respected. Despite the fact that he got his inspiration from these Caribbean women, he made them look like universal women whom curves referred to the goddess mother on the first ages of mankind.