{"id":53606,"date":"2021-08-23T18:45:26","date_gmt":"2021-08-23T16:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/topa.be\/sint-pauluskerk\/beschrijving\/spc-the-mural-paintings\/"},"modified":"2021-11-07T16:51:15","modified_gmt":"2021-11-07T15:51:15","slug":"wandschilderijen","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/topa.be\/en\/sint-pauluskerk\/beschrijving\/wandschilderijen\/","title":{"rendered":"SPK The mural paintings"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Saint Paul\u2019s, the Antwerp Dominican 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
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Surprising mural paintings and a puzzling inscription<\/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
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

The inscription on the central pilar of the northern aisle<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The inscription, which by its form is rather 16th century, reads: \u201cLan 1644. Fr\u00e8re Paul Lelievre E Aydit Afaire Cest Eglize Chi\u201d. Adapted to modern French it is read as: \u201cL\u2019an 1644, fr\u00e8re Paul Le Li\u00e8vre \/ a aid\u00e9 \u00e0 faire cette \u00e9glise-ci\u201d. But in spite of the misleading style, the date cannot be anything but 1544, taking into account the building history. Apparently brother Le Li\u00e8vre wanted to act against the rules of his own order and immortalize his name. Because at that moment he did not know when exactly his stone would be put in position, he left open the last figure of the year. When the stone was hauled up to its position in 1544, the (illiterate?) building labourers put it upside down! The brother or someone else added the exact figure \u20184\u2019, but did not exert himself to carve it upside down too. As a result this is the only character that can be read well from the floor! This illustrates how great history is built up with petty things. The black filling-up, which draws our attention even more, was applied later.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Grisaille mural paintings<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

When during the 1996-1997 restoration works the confessionals were removed, two grisaille mural paintings that form a graceful Mannerist frame of a funeral monument were found on the wall of the Southern aisle. They were dated \u201c1570\u201d and \u201c1577\u201d. It is a pity, but there was no other solution: the joyous angel, the little bird and the bird\u2019s head have been hidden behind the panelling again. Also the text of Our Father that the Calvinists painted on the wall of the Northern aisle has been painted over again.<\/p>\n

Probably the peculiar grisaille mural painting on the west wall of the Southern aisle dates back to the same period: Christ as the mystic winepress. Like grapes that are pressed into wine, so Jesus was pressed as it were by his suffering. In fact it is a combination of a few data from the passion, including the scourging and the Ecce Homo. In a small Renaissance temple Christ is standing naked against a column, with crossed hands. In His right hand he is holding the reed as a sceptre, and in his left the scourge(?). From his heart a jet of blood gushes into a chalice (the chalice of the passion): a reference to the Eucharist, which with \u201cthe blood of Christ\u201d is a source of grace, coming from Jesus\u2019s wounds of the cross. The whole representation goes back to an engraving by Albrecht D\u00fcrer dated\u00a0 1509.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Calvary<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n
\n

The wooden Christ, originating from the Calvary on Falconplein [Falcon Square] (probably Cornelis De Smedt, 1790) and the white marble statues of Our Lady and John the Evengelist, originating from the demolished choir screen (Peter I Verbruggen, 1654-1655) together constitute the Calvary where now the deceased members of the parish are commemorated by their crosses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Painting \u201cthe Works of Mercy\u201d<\/span>
\n(after Frans II Francken)<\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\"\"This immense canvas (16.17ft x 8.37ft) shows a striking resemblance, both in composition and figuration, with the smaller, picturesque painting by Frans II Francken in Saint Andrew\u2019s Church (ca. 1600). This painting has been against the west wall of the church, next to the entrance of Veemarkt \/ Zwartzustersstraat since at least 1748. It used to be above the stalls of the neighbouring Blacksisters, who committed themselves especially to the poor sick and who had contributed to the construction of the church. The painting wanted to stimulate the beholder to active charity and so to generous gifts. Still it is not the sisters who are represented here but the almoners, who on behalf of the civil and ecclesiastical\u00a0 community were responsible for charity and so for all (seven) good deeds.<\/p>\n

Clad in the dignity of their office, with tabards and typical hats, they act here as masters of the Table of the Holy Spirit in the parishes.<\/p>\n

The idea of charity has a profoundly religious base: \u201cwhoever remains in love remains in God<\/em>\u201d (1 John 4:16). This is experienced even more radically from Jesus\u2019s identification with the poor and needy: \u201cwhatever you did for one of these least brothers of Mine, you did for Me<\/em>\u201d (Mth. 25:40.45). Jesus Himself fills this in concretely with the \u2018works of mercy\u2019:<\/p>\n

\u201cI was hungry and you gave Me food,
\n<\/em>\u00a0I was thirsty and you gave Me drink,
\n<\/em>\u00a0I was a stranger and you welcomed Me,
\n<\/em>\u00a0I was naked and you clothed Me,
\n<\/em>\u00a0I was ill and you cared for Me,
\n<\/em>\u00a0I was in prison and you visited Me.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>(Mth. 25:34-36)<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t