Gerard Brouwer (Leiden, October 21, 1951 – Katwijk, February 20, 2017) was a Dutch sculptor, known for his bronze sculptures depicting everyday scenes.
Brouwer studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Utrecht, where he was taught by Jan van Luijn, among others. He later studied at the Rijksacademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam with teachers such as Piet Esser, Paul Grégoire and Theresia van der Pant.
His work is characterized by recognizable, uncontrived representations of typical Dutch themes, such as grazing cows, skaters and musicians. By depicting figures in their daily activities, such as eating a herring or doing the shopping, his sculptures evoke a sense of recognition. Brouwer paid special attention to the relationship between form, mass and the surrounding space, whereby large volumes were more important than details.
During his career, Brouwer received various awards, including the Willem F.C. Uriôt Art Prize in 1979 and the D.F.E. Meerburg Prize in 1991 and 2013. In 2016 he received the honorary medal from the municipality of Katwijk for more than 40 years of distinguished visual artistry.
His works can be found in the public space of various Dutch places, such as Middelburg, Hulst, Leiden, The Hague, Enschede and Katwijk, and are part of collections of institutions, museums, companies and private individuals at home and abroad.
Gerard Brouwer died on 20 February 2017 from the consequences of the muscular disease ALS. Posthumously, his iconic sculpture 'Maatjes' was given a prominent place on the Boulevard of Katwijk.
