Old-Fashioned Weather Clock

On a brick wall in Amsterdam Nieuw-West, Bart Leep has reimagined a familiar object of Dutch daily life: the old-fashioned weather clock. Painted with care and humor, the mural depicts the traditional device that once helped people predict the weather by showing a figure stepping out with either an umbrella for rain or a hat for sunshine. Its nostalgic imagery recalls a slower time, before modern forecasts and smartphone apps replaced such household instruments.

Leep, a Dutch artist known for blending local culture with playful reinterpretation, uses this work to celebrate collective memory. By enlarging the domestic object and relocating it into public space, he turns something private into a shared experience for the neighborhood.

Placed on an ordinary wall, Old-Fashioned Weather Clock bridges past and present. It invites passersby to reflect on changing ways of life while appreciating the enduring charm of simple, everyday traditions.

Bart Leep (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) is a Dutch muralist who has been transforming the city’s façades into playful storytelling surfaces for over a decade. Working directly with brush on brick, he blends street-art attitude with the craftsmanship of traditional mural painting. Leep’s work often nods to Dutch heritage — from iconic symbols to everyday cultural references — all reimagined with a warm, contemporary twist. His trompe-l’œil pieces, like the much-loved “Oldfashioned Weather House”, invite passersby to look twice and smile. Known for his clean lines, clever concepts, and ability to make architecture part of the artwork, Leep brings character to quiet streets and busy squares alike. Today, his murals continue to brighten neighbourhoods across the Netherlands, proving that even the simplest wall can spark imagination.