Ghent GOTHIC SAINT BAVO'S Sint-Baafs CATHEDRAL CHURCH ~ 1865 Art Print Engraving

Description: CHURCH OF ST. BAVON Artist: T. Allom ____________ Engraver: Mottram Note: the title in the table above is printed below the engraving AN ANTIQUE STEEL ENGRAVING MADE IN THE 1860s !! ITEM IS OVER 130 YEARS OLD! VERY OLD WORLD! INCREDIBLE DETAIL! Ghent may well be the most beautiful city in Belgium and the SAINT BAVO may be the most awesome cathedral in the country. It was named after Saint Bavo, a 7th century local nobleman who became a saint after he had given away his possessions to the poor and entered the monastery. The cathedral with its mighty uprising tower is perhaps the most visible sign of the pride of the citizens of Ghent. Around 1100 Ghent had become one of the most important and well-known cities north of the Alps. This was partially due to the Flemish cloth trade. A city like that needed, of course, a church that reflected the status of wealth and importance. At the site of the present cathedral a wooden church founded in 942 and dedicated to Saint John must have stood. This first church was replaced in 1038 with a church in Romanesque style, about which little is known. A part of it has been preserved in the early medieval crypt which is situated under the present gothic choir. The Romanesque church had become to small and started to deteriorate by the end of the 13th century. It was then decided to construct a beautiful gothic construction above the old Saint John's church. First, a gothic choir was built above the old choir. The new choir was consecrated in 1353. The chapels around the choir were finished by the beginning of the 15th century. The tower was built from 1462 until 1538. The construction of the aisles and the nave started in 1533. Finally, on June 7th 1569 the construction was finished and the new gothic cathedral of Saint Bavo was consecrated. In 1540 the old Saint Bavo abbey had been closed by order of emperor Charles V. Therefore, the canons of this abbey moved to the Saint John's church which was then renamed Saint Bavo Church. In 1561 the diocese of Ghent had been founded, which changed the status of the church to the status of cathedral (seat of the bishop of Gent). Nothing, however, matches the beauty of the most important work of art in Belgium that can be seen in the Saint Bavo cathedral: the famous 'Adoration of the mystic lamb', a polypthic painted by Jan and Hubert Van Eyck in 1432 for the chapel of Joost Vijd. On the inside the cathedral is very impressive with its 33 meter high roof constructed with bricks. During the Iconoclasm in 1566 a large part of the gothic decoration was destroyed a later replaced with renaissance and baroque art. A lot of rich citizens and bishops contributed to the art collection with donations and beautifully decorated tombs. Among the most beautiful and important works of art are : the baroque pulpit (sculpted in 1745 by Laurent Delvaux), the tombstone of Bishop Triest, the painting of 'Saint Bavo entering the monastery', painted by Rubens. The crypt under the choir also harbors a fantastic collection of paintings and church utensils that belong to the church treasures. FROM THE ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: One of the handsomest churches in Ghent, the most elegant in the proportions of its interior, and. the most magnificent in its decorations, is the cathedral of St. Bavon, which, indeed, is the finest church in Belgium. Its foundation dates from 944, and. The whole was not finished, till the beginning of the 16th century. Speaking of the choir and, crypt, rebuilt in 1228, it is stated that the former and. the transepts are lined with black marble; the balustrades are of white or variegated, marble-a species of decoration which, though splendid, yet being in the Grecian style, by no means fits a Gothic church. The gates of the chapels are of brass, and statues and paintings ornament every vacant space. Over the choir, at a considerable elevation, are fixed the arms of the knights of the- Golden Fleece. The twenty-third, and last chapter of the order was held in this church by Philip II. of Spain, in 1559. In many parts of France, Belgium, and Holland, the Englishman is certain of falling in with something that will awaken some historical remembrances having connection with his own land. Even in the cathedral of St. Bavon this is the case. In front of the high altar, adorned, with a statue of the saint, are arranged, four tall copper candlesticks, which were the property of the unfortunate Charles 1. They bear the arms of England, upon them, and are supposed to have decorated the chapel of Whitehall, or St. Paul's church, but, during the Protectorate of Cromwell, wore sold and. sent out of the country. On each side of the choir are several handsome monuments, surmounted by statues representing four bishops of the city. Whatever may, in other respects, be the objects worthy of minute examination in this magnificent church, it is to its twenty-four chapels in the side aisles that we must turn for the paintings with which they are embellished. These are by far too numerous to be all specified here; but in the fifth, tenth, thirteenth, and. fourteenth chapels the finest pictures are to be found. "Jesus in the midst of the Doctors," by Francis Probus, is in the fifth chapel. Most of the faces here are portraits; those of Charles V. and Philip II. being among them. In the tenth chapel is the "Adoration of the Spotless Lamb," the masterpiece of the brothers Hubert and John Van Eyck. This is esteemed as one of the finest works of the early Flemish school, and is renowned throughout Europe. Upwards of 300 heads appear in the picture, and every one of them finished with the minutest care, The beauty and grace of the countenance of the Virgin, who occupies a portion of the scene, are said to be surpassed only by the "Madonnas" of Raphael. The thirteenth chapel contains a masterpiece of Rubens it... Bavon renouncing the Profession of a Soldier, to enter the Convent of St. Am and as a Monk." This picture," says Sir Joshua Reynolds, ' 'for composition, colouring, richness of effect, and all those qualities in which Rubens excelled, claims a rank among his greatest and best works." It, however, has not been well preserved. In the fourteenth chapel is the "Resurrection of Lazarus," by Otto Venins, which is held high. ABOUT THE ARTIST: Thomas Allom (1804-1872) was born in London, England on 13th March 1804. He was articled to Francis Goodwin, an architect in 1819. He was to become a founder member of the R.I.B.A. (Royal Institute of British Architects - which is still the premier institution today). He is best know for his topographical drawings, so many of which were engraved on steel & appeared in many of the travel books of the time. He travelled extensively, not just in the UK & Europe, but further afield, covering such countries as Turkey & China. Collections of his work can be found in the British Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum. SIZE: Image size is 5 inches by 7 inches. Print size is 9 1/2 inches by 12 1/2 inches including white borders. CONDITION: Condition is excellent. Bright and clean. Blank on reverse. SHIPPING: Buyers to pay shipping/handling, domestic orders receives priority mail, international orders receive regular mail. Please note: the terms used in our auctions for engraving, heliogravure, lithograph, print, plate, photogravure etc. are ALL prints on paper, NOT blocks of steel or wood. "ENGRAVINGS", the term commonly used for these paper prints, were the most common method in the 1700s and 1800s for illustrating old books, and these paper prints or "engravings" were inserted into the book with a tissue guard frontis, usually on much thicker quality rag stock paper, although many were also printed and issued as loose stand alone prints. So this auction is for an antique paper print(s), probably from an old book, of very high quality and usually on very thick rag stock paper. EXTREMELY RARE IN THIS EXCELLENT CONDITION!

Price: 8.99 USD

Location: New Providence, New Jersey

End Time: 2024-11-11T22:13:20.000Z

Shipping Cost: 7.95 USD