BELGIUM-ANTWERP- A VISIT(3)-PRINTING MUSEUM
Jack
Previous Belgium posts are on http://home.earthlink.net/~primos/
The 18th century facade on the Vrijdagmarkt hides a beautiful
patrician edifice, also a historical place. It is here that in 1549,
the French printer Christophe Plantin established his printing
establishment. Moretus, his son in law, continued his work, still
imitated by his successors, who abdicated only in 1876. So we see that
during three centuries, the same family printed and exported loads of
bibles, breviaries and mass-books. The house is transformed into a
remarkable museum and every hall brings an essential element of the
history of printing. Fabulous private library and print cabinet. The
correctors hall is full of ancient fine types. Don't be intimidated by
the technical aspect : everything is very well explained in several
languages.. And more, this museum presents the rarest and most
valuable manuscripts and "enluminures"(colored prints) : Mercator
maps, an important "Biblia Regia" in 5 languages (Hebrew, Greek,
Latin, Syriac and Chaldean) dated 1572, a magnificent Gutenberg
bible.....You will be sensible to the slightly austere atmosphere, as
it should be in a beautiful Flemish interior : walls covered with
Cordoba leather, Audenaerde and Brussels tapestries, lacquered tables
ivory encrusted, creaking floors, open fires covered with delft tiles,
the tinkling of the far-away carillon...You feel as you had broken
into an intimate tableau of the 18th century.
Just nearby, the Lange Gasthuisstraat has two nice places to visit.
--First the ancient orphanage (Maagdenhuis) is today, very logically,
a Public Center of social Aid. Only the ground floor is open for
visits. In the museum you will admire, in a superb tiled decor where
oak cupboards are resting, a few beautiful paintings. "An orphan at
work" by Cornelius de Vos. And two majestical "Saint Jerome", one by
Anthony van Dijck an the other by Maarten de Vos., both dated from the
end of the 16th.
--Now we go to the incredible magnificent house of a great collector,
Fritz Mayer Van den Bergh (1858-1901). This man had a triple life. On
one side he cumulated official functions, on the other he dedicated
his time to collect art (paintings, sculptures, delft-ware, porcelain,
china ware...). Finally, he investigated thoroughly to determine the
origin of each object. What an energy ! In fact, this passionate
didn't lack audacity, nor science: he was considered as a great art
expert. He always wanted to open his own museum but he died young.
His mother took over and not only she created the museum, but she
became-an exceptional event at that time- the conservator. The
collections have 3098 art objects, as well as 2000 medals and coins.
Superb retables of the Passion and the Assumption. Among the paintings
, "De Dulle Griet" from Pieter Breughel the Elder! is the absolute
star !! It's a magistral allegory of Madness, Vice and Stupidity,n and
above all, a denunciation of the horrors of the Inquisition.. Also
another Breughel the Elder" The Proverbs". Works by Pourbus, van
Orley, Frans Hals, De Vos, Teniers and Jordaens. In gallery 4 , a stop
in front of the triptych of the Calvary by Quinten Metsys ( the man
from the well, remember?) is a must.
Next posts, for a change, addresses of cafes, beer place and where to
have fun at night or during the day. there is always something open
for you!
Jack
Provence, Cote d'azur, Belgium and Dublin posts are now available on
http://home.earthlink.net/~primos/
You can retrieve all my Paris posts on
http://www.bway.net/~bux/jack.Paris.toc.html
Jack