9/20/21: Antwerp's Architecture & Rubens' Masterpieces

Steven and I arrived later than we thought in Antwerp because there was an accident on the train track between Brussels and Antwerp - not uncommon we learned on arrival! We noticed an immediate difference - there were no French signs at all in the de facto, if not official, Dutch-speaking Flanders.

Colorful murals on the corner by our Antwerp apartment:

Our small apartment in Antwerp was just steps from the Old Town where we noticed a number of sculptures on the corners of buildings. I'm writing this on our fifth day in Bruges, our last stop here in Belgium where we just found yesterday the reason for all the similar statues here, too. Keep tuned and you'll discover the reason behind the statues! 

Loved, loved the gables here in Antwerp.

As we strolled down a long pedestrian mall we came across one of the Fashion Balls, an art installation that had sprouted up this year -  fun for children to climb and proclaim they were king of the castle, perhaps?

We couldn't help but admire the ornate architecture walking down one of Antwerp's pedestrian streets. We really had to keep looking up, up, up so we didn't miss anything atop gables or buildings.

The statue honored talented Antwerp artist Antoon van Dyck (1599-1641), a contemporary of another hometown artist, Peter Paul Rubens.

Looking up behind the statue was a gold statue topping this striking building along the Meir, a pedestrian shopping zone and neighborhood. Though there were some cyclists weaving in and around the walkers, we didn't feel we needed to be as careful of them as we did in Brussels.

The Meir was great for people watching as the area was very diverse with lots of Muslims, the trendiest of whom the Antwerpenaars nicknamed 'Mipsters.' There were 40 mosques in the city, the biggest Jain temple outside of India, and a sizeable Buddhist community.

In the Middle East, we became accustomed to seeing many top-end jewelry stores but Antwerp had those countries beat in the sheer number if not opulence. This Diamond Quarter, one of the world's top centers where diamonds are sold wholesale, was just scores and scores of shops advertising diamonds for sale. I had hoped it might be more interesting than what we found.

As in Brussels, you couldn't walk a block without being lured into a chocolate shop! This company had branches all over.

Though we had just arrived by train here at the central station an hour or so ago, we decided to make our way back to admire it in more detail without our bags in tow. The station was really a work of art and not merely a transportation hub. Built around the beginning of the 20th-century, it was a glorious mix of architectural styles.

The vintage clock in the center of the hall set into a facade of gray marble and gold trim towered above the tracks. As the station was the work of Belgium's 'builder king' Leopold I who had brought his country into the modern age from the ivory and rubber fortunes in the Belgian Congo, there were his 'L' monograms everywhere.

It was difficult to know where to look at this intersection what with the commanding statue of another of Antwerp's big painters, David Teniers, and the towering late 19th-century buildings on either side!

I read in Rick Steves' book on Belgium that the architectural style was called Historicism which effectively meant was a mishmash of the "most bombastic bits and pieces to wow the viewer." Well, it certainly succeeded as it wowed us totally!

The opulent Stadsfeestzaal shopping mall, with its gold niche over the door, lured us both inside. 

The pretty interior had a few cafes and a shop devoted to items made in Denmark. I stopped there to buy a small gift for a Danish friend in my water aerobics class as I knew she was feeling homesick.

We strolled down to Wapper Square to admire the home of painter Peter Paul Rubens. In his era, Wapper wasn't a square but rather a canal that supplied the city with fresh water from a crane that moved up and down that was positioned near the canal. 

After buying the home and land along Wapper in 1610, Rubens and his wife designed a semi-circular statue gallery, a large studio, a portico, and a pavilion in the garden. These were inspired by both Roman antiquity and the Italian Renaissance. The home that was transformed into an Italian palazzo was unrivaled in Antwerp. The family lived in this beautiful home for more than 25 years. 

Rubens painted most of his masterpieces in his studio here. If we had toured his home, we would have seen a self-portrait and part of his art collection in addition to the studio. 

Back on Meir was the ornate Rococo palace that was built in 1745 called Paleis op Meir which was later purchased by Napoleon who decorated it in the Empire Style. After Belgium became independent from France in 1830, the palace became just one of the king's official homes. 

I wonder what Napoleon might have thought if he knew his former residence was now an avante-garde chocolate establishment called Chocolate Line! 

Nope, not a Cuban cigar, but a Havana bonbon!

Don't you just want to pop one of these Lake of Love swans in your mouth?!

Suellen: When I saw these Creole ones, I immediately thought they'd be the ones you might choose. Wonder if I was on the mark or not!

This wasn't your run-of-the-mill Belgian chocolatier that was located on every block if not more prevalent! This specialty shop had grisailles or monochrome paintings on the walls that appeared initially like 3D carved reliefs.

I couldn't walk out without buying some chocolates of course. Steven was happier than I was with my choice as I love chocolates and caramel but without added salt!

For a moment we thought we had been transported back to Gotham City when we saw this Art Deco-style skyscraper! When it was finished in 1932, Farmers Tower was considered the first US-style skyscraper on the continent and was Europe's tallest for 20 years. 

Another statue, another Antwerp painter - this one was Rubens!

We knew from our visit to Ireland two years ago, Peggy, that the scalloped shell shape in the pavement symbolized a pilgrimage. That was only fitting as the street next to our apartment was called Pelgrimstraat or Pilgrim St.

What a lethal combination for my pocketbook and my suitcase - Belgian tapestry and lace in one shop!

In the middle of a square just outside the Cathedral of Our Lady, was this unusual but touching sculpture that depicted Nello and Patrasche, the main characters in the 1872 Christmas novel A Dog of Flanders which took place in Antwerp. The cathedral and various paintings in it by Rubens played an important role in the novel which is very famous in Japan for some reason. The story is of a deep friendship between a poor orphan boy, Nello, and Patrasche, an abandoned dog who walked to town daily to visit the cathedral to admire Rubens' paintings. Sadly, they died together in the cathedral. 

Here are just two photos I took of the cathedral's exterior and its 400-foot tall lacy spire which made it the city's tallest building and dominated the Old Town. Begun in 1352 and consecrated in 1521 at Antwerp's peak, the plan was to make the already very large church the biggest church on earth! But a 1533 fire and the Spanish Catholics sacking the city in 1576 caused the Protestants to leave and the city's fortunes plunge. 

The church was, at 250 ft., remarkably wide and also dramatically vertical at 90 ft. high. Gigantic pillars supported the rib vault far above our heads.

It was almost a sacrilege to read that Napoleon's troops used the church as a stable and absconded with the church's prized possessions, Rubens' paintings that were only returned later from Paris.

The 1713 pulpit, located halfway up the nave as was then common, comprised magnificent carved birds, foliage, and cupids, which symbolized the spreading of faith and the word of God. 

They were supported by four figures which represented each of the continents -  with Europe in front and Africa in dark around the back that was surely very intentional!

Some of the stained-glass windows were original. Think of how they would have attracted worshippers like moths to a flame as Steves writes.

Steven and I are used to seeing magnificent religious paintings in small, private chapels spaced along church aisles. Here, though, three huge Rubens paintings were placed around the wide-open nave which made them much easier to view and appreciate.

I read that his Descent from the Cross is widely considered the absolute masterpiece of 17th-century Flemish painting and that its "form, line and color strike an extraordinary but perfect balance."

Look at Christ's pale skin,

the man in the top righthand corner holding onto the shroud with his teeth, and

the blood-filled bowl on the bottom right holding the crown of thorns and nails.

The left side panel showed a pregnant Mary and the other was of Jesus being presented at the temple - two different images of 'carrying' Christ.

Over the main altar was The Assumption painted by Rubens in 1626 which depicted the moment Mary, the church's namesake, was lifted up to heaven.

Beneath Mary were the 12 Apostles - after the Resurrection Matthias, the faithful disciple replaced Judas - and the women present at her passing. IF you're up on church doctrine, you likely know that Mary's role was one of the major fault lines between Protestants and Catholics. The former saw her as an ordinary woman who was called to perform God's work while Catholics see her as a saint to idolize. 

In the middle of the church, i.e. located between the pulpit and the altar, was the ornately carved choir.

In the cramped crypt were five tombs painted with red crosses that were revealed during excavation.

This Rubens painting was tucked away in a small chapel and was called Resurrection. In it, a radiant Christ was rising with vigor out of the tomb, offering hope of revival to the deceased. It was painted for two famous Antwerpenaar printers buried here, Plantin and Moretus. Remember those names as we would visit the stellar museum devoted to them the following day.

In honor of you, Janina, this one's for you! The painted 'dome' of the cupola in the center of the church was actually flat and again depicted Mary.

The last of Rubens' masterpieces in the cathedral was Raising of the Cross which he painted from 1610-11 after just returning from spending eight years in Italy. If you were an art major, you could easily pick up on Michangelo's influence in the twisting and muscled bodies. 

Doesn't it look like we could reach right out and truly feel Jesus' skin as it looks so incredibly lifelike? This inner panel of the hinged altarpiece was normally kept closed and only opened on special occasions to reveal Rubens' genius. I could only imagine how long ago churchgoers would have reacted to viewing the vibrant colors and sense of movement when seeing it for the first time. We were so lucky we were able to view all three images of the triptych. 

As the city of Antwerp, the diocese, and the cathedral were all dedicated to the Virgin Mary, there were several other magnificent representations of her in the cathedral. 

One didn't have to be a person of faith to be inspired by the beauty of the cathedral and opulent works of art by Rubens and other artists. What a joy to feel the majesty.

Antwerp's dreamy gables were everywhere!

The waiter appeared shocked or was it disappointed that we only ordered one pizza and one glass of vino to share?!

Another of the corner sculptures - any takers as to whom they may have honored and why?

Next post: Antwerp's stately City Hall, the river district, the Red Light District, and the printers' museum.

Posted on September 26th, 2021, on our last night here in Bruges, our favorite city here in Belgium but only by a hair. Steven and I finally decided last night that we're heading to Frankfurt in the morning for the next three days as our trip to Luxembourg was put off when the government closed its doors to Americans unfortunately. That means, we're still one country shy of touring all three of the Benelux nations!