Martin Roestenburg

Martin Roestenburg was born in Woensel (Eindhoven) in the Netherlands, and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. He was a prolific artist and craftsman, engaging in painting, timber work, mosaics, stained-glass windows and sculpture.

Roestenburg had already created several murals, paintings and religious sculptures for various Dutch churches when, in 1951, the Catholic Church brought him to New Zealand to produce stained glass windows in churches and secular buildings throughout the North Island.

Settling with his family in Taihape, and establishing his studio there, he went on to create stained glass windows, murals and other religious statues including 'Our Lady of Lourdes' (1958) in Paraparaumu.

He visited Holland from 1962-1963, and settled in Palmerston North upon his return where he became curator of the Palmerston North Art Gallery. He passed away suddenly in February 1966, just three months after the windows he designed and made for the Wellington Hospital Nurses' Memorial Chapel were installed.

See also:

• National Library profile
• Artist Martin Roestenburg, and his family, in Wellington after arriving on a Dutch immigrant ship, 28 Sep 1951.National Library collection, ref: 114/362/10-G.
• Annette Stevenson, 'Wellington Hospital Nurses Memorial Chapel’, (Wellington Hospital Nurses Memorial Chapel Committee: Dunmore Printing Company Ltd., Palmerston North, 2001)