{"id":48681,"date":"2021-07-31T18:55:51","date_gmt":"2021-07-31T16:55:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/topa.be\/st-andries\/beschrijving\/sak-the-ancient-high-altar\/"},"modified":"2025-01-13T09:22:38","modified_gmt":"2025-01-13T08:22:38","slug":"oude-hoofdaltaar","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/topa.be\/en\/st-andries\/beschrijving\/oude-hoofdaltaar\/","title":{"rendered":"SAK The ancient high altar"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Antwerp's St Andrew's Church, a revelation.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The ancient high altar: St. Andrew in the place of honour <\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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History<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Renaissance painting Calvary<\/em>, by Huybrecht Marchys, originally adorned the main altar and probably disappeared during the Protestant Iconoclasm. After the Calvinist rule a campaign of\u00a0 restoration followed; as such, a new altar was constructed by carpenter Otmaer Van Ommen in 1594. The churchwardens preferred the grand retable with predella to be painted by Otto Van Veen \u2013 who was better known by his Latinized name \u2018Venius\u2019, and was considered to be the <\/em>authoritative painter of the day. The agreement was concluded during the very same year in the house of Jacques Jonghelinck, the royal mint master (Warden of the Mint) and a renowned silversmith. While initially a sketch and a colourful, detailed modello were created, the actual project was only completed in 1597-1599, in the artist\u2019s studio\u00a0 in current Otto Veniusstraat. By that time, P.P. Rubens was still an apprentice to Van Veen; when Rubens became a freemaster-painter, Van Veen took him on as a mate. Inspired, perhaps, by the patron saint of \u2018his\u2019 Order of the Golden Fleece, King Philip II paid a sixth of the project\u2019s total cost \u2013 two hundred guilders. In gratitude (\u201cuit gratuiteyt\u201d), the churchwardens awarded Van Veen an extra payment of sixty guilders.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The predella<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"\"<\/a>
St. Andrew’s Church: the left predella of the old main altar, Otto van Veen (1597\/99)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n

Both horizontal parts of the predella depict the calling of Andrew, the patron saint. The violet colour of Jesus\u2019s garb refers to the imperial purple, and alludes to Jesus\u2019s divine nature.<\/p>\n

Left predella<\/h3>\n

The first and best-known version of the story of the calling (Matt 4:18-20 = Mk 1:16-18): \u201c<\/em>Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother \u2026 were fishermen. \u2026 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Both brothers are fascinated by \u2018him\u2019 \u2013 that engaging man \u2013 as can be seen in the emotional drama of their gaze.<\/p>\n

right predella<\/h3>\n

Here, Van Veen adheres to the second version of the calling of Andrew, as found in the gospel according to John (1:35-40). In the hilly, wooded landscape in the background, John the Baptist preaches to an attentive crowd gathered around him in a circle. John appears half naked, dressed only in a coarse garment of camel hair. \u201c<\/em>John was standing with two of his disciples.\u201d<\/em> As Jesus passes by, John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the \u2018Lamb of God\u2019; \u201c<\/em>The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus\u201d<\/em> (v. 37). <\/em>As in the first part of the predella, Andrew wears a green garment. The (unnamed) second disciple is John, the \u2018beloved disciple\u2019. \u201c<\/em>Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?”\u201d<\/em> (v. 38). The movements of the disciples\u2019 hands suggest a conversation. \u201c<\/em>And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying.\u201d<\/em> (v. 38-39)<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The martyrdom of St Andrew<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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St. Andrew's Church: The Torture of Andreas, Otto van Veen (1597\/99)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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While the posture and gestures of some of the painting\u2019s figures might suggest that this scene depicts \u2018the crucifixion of Andrew\u2019 \u2013 as the painting has often mistakenly been called \u2013 this image in fact depicts Andrew\u2019s death, precisely at the time when he was to be released from the cross. The image originated from the Legenda Aurea<\/em>, by the Dominican monk Jacobus de Varagine (1228-1298). In the Greek town of Patras, Maximilla had been willingly converted to Christianity by Andrew.<\/p>\n

Wife to the Roman proconsul Ageas, a cruel and pagan man, Maximilla began to distance herself from Ageas, both literally and spiritually. In consequence, and completely oblivious to any criticism, her husband had Andrew crucified. While tied to the cross, Andrew kept on preaching tirelessly to the growing crowd for two more days. Alarmed by the massive protest against his unjust ruling, the proconsul decreed that the disciple should be released from the cross.<\/p>\n