Recently Esther Schwertasek started to paint on a new series about the Lloyd Hotel in Amsterdam

The Lloyd Hotel was established in 1918 in the eclectic style commissioned by the Royal Holland Lloyd.

From 1921 until 1936 the building was used as a temporary accommodation for immigrants, mostly poor Eastern European Jews.

Subsequently, from 1938 it was used as a shelter for Jewish refugees from Germany and during World War ll, the building was used as a prison.

 

After the War it continued to function as an adult prison and later became a juvenile detention centre.

By 1989 it served as a studio space for artist from former Yugoslavia.

In 1996 they started a new plan.
It is now back to its authentic function as an hotel.
And it is also the Cultural Embassy of Amsterdam.