portrait manner, which contrasts in many ways with his larger and freer
allegorical style. (Fromentin thinks poorly of it.)
389. In the corner, four Fine *Heads of Negroes, a study for the Magi,
by Rubens. Not caricatured, but full of genuine negro character.
Above it, 219. An Adoration of the Magi by Herreyns: Interesting only as
showing the persistence of the school into the 18th century.
235. Jordaens: *An Allegory of Abundance. Studies from the nude in the
style of the school: meritorious.
Pass the door of the Dutch school. Beyond it, more Still Life,
excellently painted.
240. Next door, Jordaens: *Nymph and Satyr. (This corridor is largely
given up to works by Jordaens, who was a Protestant, and preferred
heathen mythological subjects to Catholic Christian ones.
434. Snyders: 17th century: *Still Life, which now begins to be painted
on its own merits. This last is by the great animal painter of the
Flemish school.
238. Jordaens: Very Flemish *family group, with a somewhat superfluous
satyr. (Subject nominally taken from the fable of the Satyr and the
Wayfarer.)
302. Vandermeulen: View of Tournai and landscape, with the siege by
Louis XIV. introduced for the sake of figures in the foreground.
Above it, 240 (? old number). De Crayer: St. Anthony and St. Paul the
Hermit. Interesting for persistence of the typical figures.
The other pictures in this corridor are, I think, self-explanatory.
Now enter
ROOM III.
Right hand, further corner from door, Still Life by Snyders.
100. Good portrait by Philippe de Champaigne.
387A. Splendid *portrait by Rubens (according to Rooses, by Van Dyck).
This room also contains several fine pictures by Teniers (father or son)
and other late Flemish painters, deserving of attention, but needing no
explanation. (Portraits, etc.) Do not imagine because I pass them by
that you need not look at them.
Now enter
CORRIDOR B.
L. of the door, good works by De Crayer and others.
166. =Van Dyck= (the greatest pupil of Rubens, leading us on to the
later Dutch school). *St. Francis in ecstasy before the Crucifix. From
the Franciscan Capuchin Church in Brussels.
288. P. Meert, good portraits.
165. Companion to 166. Another Franciscan picture by Van Dyck. *St.
Anthony of Padua holding the Infant Jesus. (In neither is he seen to
great advantage.)
In the centre, 378, Rubens: **Assumption, high altar-piece from the
Carmelite Church in Brussels. A fine picture, of Ruben’s early period,
smooth of surface and relatively careful, with the apostles looking into
the empty tomb, whence women are picking roses (See _Legends of the
Madonna_). To the R., the youthful figure of St. Thomas, stretching his
hands. Observe the fine contrast of colour between the lower and upper
portions. This is a noble specimen of the master’s bold and dramatic
treatment, but without his later ease of execution.
503. *Good portraits, by C. De Vos, of himself and his family.
127. De Crayer: St. Anthony, with his pig and staff, and St. Paul the
Hermit, in his robe of palm-leaves, fed by a raven. In the background,
the Death of St. Paul; two lions dig his grave. R., below, late figure
of donor, seldom so introduced at this period. Jay in the background.
Good landscape.
Enter
ROOM IV.
with landscapes and still life of the later period. Left of the door,
381, Rubens: The Woman Taken in Adultery. 605. Good *family group of the
Van Vilsteren household, attributed to Van Dyck.
466. Interior of a picture-gallery, Teniers.
The room also contains several pictures worthy of note, but too modern
in tone to need explanation. Observe that landscape has now almost
vindicated its right to be heard alone, though figures in the foreground
are still considered more or less necessary.
Now enter
CORRIDOR C.
which contains good pictures of the =later Flemish school=. R. of door,
435, A. Van Utrecht: one of the favourite Dutch kitchen scenes, well
painted.
L. of the door.
95. Philippe de Champaigne: Presentation in the Temple, with
characteristic crude French colouring.
437. Stag Hunt by Snyders.
375. Rubens: *Martyrdom of the local Bishop, St. Lieven. His tongue is
torn out and given to dogs. Very savage pagans; rearing horse; and
characteristic angels, with celestial scene. In Rubens’ less pleasing
“allegorical” manner. Plenty of force, but too fiercely bustling.
383. Rubens: Fine portrait of the Archduke Albert.
384. Rubens: companion portrait of the Infanta Isabella, wife of 383.
376. Rubens: *Painfully un-Christian subject: mainly by a pupil,
re-touched by the master: The Saviour about to destroy the World, which
is protected by St. Francis and Our Lady. A strange method by which a
votary seeks to impress his devotion to his own patrons. Behind, burning
towns, murder, etc.
374. Rubens: *The Way to Calvary. (Almost all these large Rubenses are
from High Altars.) In the foreground, the two thieves; then Christ
falling, and a very Flemish and high-born St. Veronica unconcernedly
wiping his forehead. Our Lady faints close by, supported by St. John.
St. Longinus mounted, and Roman soldiers. The composition somewhat
sketchy, but immensely vigorous. A gorgeous pageant, it wholly lacks
pathos.
377. Rubens: **Adoration of the Magi (Altar-piece of the Capuchin Church
at Tournai). One of his noblest works, magnificently and opulently
coloured. The subject was one he often painted. Note still the Three
Kings, representing the three ages and continents, but, oh, how
transfigured! In their suite are Moors and other Orientals. Behind, St.
Joseph with flambeaux, representing the earlier candle. This is a
painting in Rubens’s best Grand Seigneur manner—vast, throbbing,
concentrated. He thinks of a Nativity as taking place with all the pomp
and ceremony of the courts which he frequented. Charming pages in the
foreground.
382. Rubens: Venus in the Forge of Vulcan. A made-up picture. Splendid
studies of the exuberant nude by Rubens; with effects of light and shade
in a smithy, added in the late 17th century to make up for a lost
portion.
380. Rubens (much restored): *Christ on the knees of Our Lady. A noble
composition, greatly injured. In the foreground kneels the Magdalen (her
hair falling ungracefully), with the nails and Crown of Thorns. Notice
always her abundant locks. To the R., St. Francis, with the Stigmata,
bends over in adoration (a Franciscan picture). To the L., very fleshy
angels (Antwerp models) hold the instruments of the Passion. White sheet
and dead flesh in their usual strong combination. (Painted for the
Franciscan Capuchins of Brussels.)
The De Crayers, close by, contrast in the comparative crudity of their
colour with the splendid harmonies of the master.
507. Paul de Vos: Horse and Wolves. Full of spirit.
129. De Crayer. The Martyrdom of St. Blaise. Shows him combed with a
wool-carder.
Then flowers, hunting scenes, etc., requiring no comment.
Now pass through Room VII. (with Italian pictures to be considered
later) and enter
CORRIDOR D.
Right of door, nothing that requires comment.
Left of door, 231, Janssens: Our Lady appearing to St. Bruno.
125. De Crayer: *Assumption of St. Catherine, with her wheel and sword.
A fine picture, in which De Crayer approaches very near Rubens. In the
foreground are St. Augustine with the flaming heart; St. Gregory,
habited as Pope; St. Ambrose, and St. Jerome,—the four Doctors of the
Church, with other saints, contemplating devoutly the glory of St.
Catherine.
R. and L. of central door, 136, 137, good saints, by De Crayer. Beneath
them, excellent landscapes.
The remaining pictures in this room can be inspected by the visitor
without need for explanation.
It is interesting to stand by the =balustrade=, here, above the
sculpture gallery, not only for the general outlook upon the handsome
hall, but also to note how the colour of the Rubenses stands out at a
distance among the other pictures.
Now, go on through Room VIII. to Corridor A., reaching on the L.,
ROOM V.
containing the =Dutch Masters=. On these, for the most part, I shall
have little to say. Their landscapes, flower-pieces, and portraits are
admirable, indeed, but they are of the sort which explain themselves at
sight, and need rather for their appreciation critical faculty than
external knowledge. Begin on the L. =of the door=.
282. Nicolas Maes: Good portrait of a 17th century lady.
263. Leerman’s Crucifixion, finely executed.
Near it, good landscape or flower-pieces, etc., by Cuyp, De Heem, and
Isaac van Ostade.
448. St. Pierre at Louvain.
525. Good hunting scene by Wouwerman.
279. **Admirable figure of an old woman fallen asleep over her reading,
by Nicolas Maes.
Above it, 284. *Good portrait by Nicolas Maes.
278. *Fine portrait by Luttichuys.
304. Van Mieris: Susannah and the Elders. Frankly anachronistic.
233 is a fine *landscape with cattle, by Karel du Jardin.
147. Van Delen: Excellent architectural piece, with good *portraits in
the foreground, painted in later by Emmanuel Biset.
=End Wall.=
44. Admirable *portrait by Bol.
45. Bol: *Portrait of a lady, probably wife of the last. On either side
310, 311, characteristic tavern scenes by Molinaer.
=Right Wall.=
398. One of Jacob Ruysdael’s finest landscapes, with ruined tower.
399. Excellent *sea piece by Jacob Ruysdael, representing the Lake of
Haarlem in a storm. Good foam.
I pass by, on the same wall, many meritorious Dutch works which cannot
fail to strike the observer.
141. Albert Cuyp: *Cows. Excellent.
232. *Delicately luminous piece by Karel du Jardin, “L’Avant-garde du
Convoi.”
153. Gerard Dou: **The artist drawing a Cupid by lamplight. One of his
finest studies in light and shade. It should be looked at long and
carefully.
On either side of it, delicate small pieces by Steen, A. van Ostade and
Dietrich.
47. *Good portrait by Bol.
281. *Portrait by Maes. Fine and audacious in colouring. Above it, 403,
good Ruysdael.
Do not imagine because I give little space to the pictures in this room
that they are not therefore important. As works of art, many of them are
of the first value; but they do not require that kind of explanation
which it is the particular province of these Guides to afford.
Now, pass through the small passage to
ROOM VI.
containing works also by the =Dutch masters=, the finest of which are
here exhibited.
=Left of the door.=
364. Van Ravestein, capital portrait.
280. Maes: **Old woman reading.
206. Fruit piece by De Heem. One of his finest.
490. Van der Velde, junior: Shipping on the Zuyder Zee. The Dutch
interest in the sea begins to make itself felt.
345. Portraits by Palamedes, arranged as a musical party.
352 (old number, no new number given). Molyn the Elder: Town fête by
night. Good effect of light.
333. Admirable *portrait by Nicolas Maes.
251 and 250. De Keyser: Two fine portraits of women.
46. Bol: **Excellent portrait of Saskia, wife of Rembrandt.
463. **Exquisite miniature portrait by Ter Burg, which should be
inspected closely.
328. Van der Neer: The Burning of Dordrecht. A lurid small piece.
501. A. de Voys: The Jolly Drinker. Highly characteristic of Dutch
sentiment.
528. Landscape by Wynants.
The other still life and fruit or flower pieces on this wall need no
comment.
=End wall.=
616. Weenix: Dutch lady dressing, with good effects of light and colour.
203. Frans Hals: **Portrait of W. van Heythuysen. One of his finest
works. Broadly executed, and full of dash and bravado.
496. Excellent still life by Jan Weenix.
522. De Witte: Fine architectural church interior.
222. Above it, *peacock and other birds by Hondecoeter, who painted
almost exclusively similar subjects. The solitary feather in the
foreground recalls his famous masterpiece at the Hague.
On each side of this, tolerable portraits by Van der Helst.
36. Fruit and still life by Van Beyeren.
444. *One of Jan Steen’s most characteristic pieces of Batavian humour.
A Dutch lover offering affection’s gift, in the shape of a herring and
two leeks, to a lady no longer in her first youth. Behind, her
unconscious husband. The painting of every detail is full of the best
Dutch merits, and the tone of the whole frankly repulsive.
=Right wall.=
221. Hobbema: *The Wood at Haarlem. Characteristic Dutch landscape.
202. Frans Hals: **Splendid portrait of Professor Hoornebeck of Leyden.
Extremely vivacious and rapidly handled.
220. *One of Hobbema’s most famous mills.
Above this, 19, Storm at Sea, by Backhuysen.
368. Excellent **portrait by Rembrandt.
216. Portrait by Van der Helst. Not in his best manner.
445. A very characteristic and excellent Jan Steen, known as *The
Rhetoricians—that is to say, members of a Literary Club or Debating
Society, one of whom is engaged in reading his prize verses to a not too
appreciative audience outside. Even here, however, Jan cannot omit his
favourite touch of coarse Dutch love-making, with a tavern-girl
introduced out of pure perversity.
357. Paul Potter: *Pigs. Admirably piggy.
=End wall.=
223. More of Hondecoeter’s unimpeachable *poultry.
48. Bol: *Portrait of a Mathematician and Anatomist. One of the
painter’s masterpieces.
367. **Splendid portrait by Rembrandt (“L’Homme au grand chapeau”). An
excellent and characteristic example of his art. The light and shade,
the painting of the hair, and the masterly handling of the robe are all
in the great painter’s noblest manner.
402. Capital *water scene by S. van Ruysdael: a ferry on the Meuse.
224. Hondecoeter. More poultry, this time dead, with realistic nails,
and other little tricks to catch the great public.
=Left wall= (R. of door).
88. Van der Capelle: Calm sea, with excellent fishing boats.
Now, return through Corridors A. and D. to
ROOM VII.
containing the =early Italian pictures=. Few of these are of much value,
and as they are not connected with Flanders or Brabant, I will not
enlarge upon them. Right of door,
631. An early Italian Adoration of the Magi, where you may compare the
Three Kings, Joseph with the gift, the ox and ass, etc., with Flemish
examples.
631 (left) is a characteristic example of St. Francis receiving the
stigmata. Study it for comparison with the Rubens at Ghent, and others.
628. Above is a set of panels containing events in the History of Our
Lady. I give the subjects, running along the top row first, with
necessary brevity: Joachim expelled from the Temple: Warned by the
Angel: Anna warned by the Angel: Meeting of Joachim and Anna at the
Golden Gate: Birth of the Virgin: Presentation of the Virgin in the
Temple: The Nativity: Adoration of the Magi: Christ found in the Temple:
Miracle at Cana: Raising of Lazarus: Death of the Virgin, with Christ
receiving her soul as a new-born baby. All these may be studied as early
examples of the subjects they represent. Above them, 629 and 630: two
Crucifixions of various ages.
140. Good characteristic Carlo Crivelli of *St. Francis with the
stigmata.
3. Adam and Eve. Albani.
Above it, a tolerable Veronese of *Juno scattering wealth into the lap
of Venice, St. Mark’s lion beside her.
140. Beautiful Carlo Crivelli of *Our Lady and Child. This picture and
the corresponding one opposite are parts of a large altar-piece, the
main portion of which, a Pietà, is in the National Gallery in London.
415. Vannuchi (_not_ Perugino): Leda and the Swan.
412 is a good portrait of Mary of Austria.
634. A tolerable Marriage of the Virgin.
473. Tintoretto: Portrait of a Venetian gentleman.
474. Another by the same.
ROOM VIII.
opposite, also contains later =Italian= pictures, with a few French.
472 is a Martyrdom of St. Mark, by Tintoretto.
497 is a Holy Family by Paolo Veronese, with St. Theresa and St.
Catherine.
The other works in the room do not call for notice.
PASSAGE leading into ROOM VI.
Skied. 477. Perugino: Madonna and Child, with the infant St. John of
Florence, in a frame of Delia Robbia work. This is one of the best
Italian pictures in this Gallery, but not a good example. Near it,
School of Mantegna, Christ and St. Thomas with St. John the Baptist.
If you want further information about the pictures in the Brussels
Gallery, you will find it in Lafenestre and Richtenberger’s _La
Belgique_, in the series of _La Peinture en Europe_.
[Illustration: CATHEDRAL OF BRUSSELS]
_D_. THE CATHEDRAL
[The =Cathedral= of Brussels is dedicated to St. Gudula or Ste.
Gudule, and to St. Michael the Archangel. Ste. Gudule is a holy
person who takes us back to the earlier ages of Christianity
among the Middle Franks. She was a member of the family of Pepin
d’Heristal, the kinsman of Charlemagne, and she died about 712.
She became a nun at Nivelles under her aunt, St. Gertrude. The
only fact of importance known as to her life is that she used to
rise early, in order to pay her devotions at a distant church,
whither she guided her steps by the aid of a lantern. Satan
frequently extinguished this light, desiring to lead her feet
astray, but the prayers of the saint as often rekindled it.
Hence she is usually represented carrying a lantern, with the
devil beside her, who endeavours to blow it out.
In the 10th century, the body of Ste. Gudule was brought to
Brussels from Morseel; and in the 11th (1047), Lambert, Count of
Louvain, built a church on this site above it: but the existing
building, still containing the body of the saint, was not begun
till 1220.
More important, however, than Ste. Gudule, in the later history
of Brussels Cathedral, is the painful mediæval incident of the
=Stolen Hosts=. The Jew-baiting of the 14th century led to a
story that on Good Friday, 1370, certain impious Jews had stolen
16 consecrated Hosts from the Cathedral, and sacrilegiously
transfixed them with knives in their synagogue. The Hosts
miraculously bled, which so alarmed the Jews that they restored
them to the altar. Their sacrilege was discovered by the aid of
an accomplice, and on this evidence several Jews were burned
alive, and the rest banished from Brabant for ever. A chapel on
the site of the synagogue still commemorates the event, and the
Miracle of the Hosts (as it is called) gives rise to several
works of art now remaining in the Cathedral. An annual ceremony
(on the Sunday after the 15th of July) keeps green the memory of
the miraculous bleeding: the identical wafers are then
exhibited. Visit the =interior= between 12 and 4, when the doors
are closed, but will be opened for you by a sacristan in the
South Portal, at a charge of 50 c. per head. You will then be
able to inspect the whole place peaceably at your leisure. Take
your opera-glasses.]
Approach the =Cathedral=, if possible, from the direction of the Grand’
Place. It is built so as to be first seen from this side, and naturally
turns its main West Front towards the older city. Go to it, therefore,
by the street known as the Rue de la Montagne and the short (modern) Rue
Ste. Gudule, which lead straight up to the handsome (recent) staircase
and platform. The building loses much by being approached sideways, as
is usually the case, from the Upper Town, which did not exist at all in
this direction when the Cathedral was built. Consider it in relation to
the nucleus in the valley.
First examine the =exterior=. The accompanying rough plan will
sufficiently explain its various portions.
The =façade= has two tall towers, and a rather low gable-end, with large
West Window. In style, it approaches rather to German than to French
Gothic. Over the _Principal Entrance_ are (restored) figures of the
Trinity, surrounded by angels, with the Twelve Apostles, each bearing
his symbol or the instruments of his martyrdom. Below, on the central
pillar, the Three Magi, the middle one a Moor. High up on the gable-end
is the figure of Ste. Gudule, the human patron, with the Devil
endeavouring to extinguish her lantern. Above her is the other and
angelic patron, St. Michael. (These two figures also occur on the middle
of the carved wooden doors.) At the sides, two bishops, probably St.
Géry and St. Amand. Though the sculpture is modern, it is of interest
from the point of view of symbolism. The _left portal_ has St. Joachim,
St. Anne, and the education of the Virgin. The _right portal_ has St.
Joseph and Our Lady with the Divine Infant.
* * * * *
Now, =go round the building= to the R., to observe its arrangement. You
pass first the _chapels_ or _bays_ of the =S. Aisle=, with
weather-beaten sculpture, and then reach the slightly projecting =South
Transept=. Beyond the South Portal, the =Choir= is hidden by the
addition of a large projecting =chapel= (that of
Notre-Dame-de-Délivrance), whose architecture will be better understood
from the interior. At the East End, you get a good view of the Gothic
=Choir= and =Apse=, with its external chapels and flying buttresses. The
extreme East point is occupied by the ugly little hexagonal rococo
_Chapel of the Magdalen_, a hideous addition of the 18th century. Still
passing round in the same direction, you arrive at a second projecting
=Chapel= (du Saint Sacremént), which balances the first. The best
=general view= is obtained from the North Side, taking in the beautiful
porch of the =North Transept=. (The handsome Louis XVI. building
opposite is the _Banque Nationale_.)
* * * * *
The Cathedral as an interior is disappointing. It contains no pictures
of any importance, and its architecture is less striking within than
without. =The stained glass=, indeed, is famous; none of it, however, is
mediæval. The best windows date only from the High Renaissance; the
remainder are 17th century or modern.
* * * * *
Walk first into the =centre of the Church=, where you can gain a good
idea of the high Choir, with its Apse and Triforium of graceful Early
Gothic architecture, as well as of the short Transepts, the two
additional chapels, R. and L., the Nave and single Aisles, and the great
west window.
* * * * *
Now, begin the tour of the church with the =South Aisle=, to the L. as
you enter. The glass here is modern. It represents the story of the
Stolen Hosts, some of the subjects being difficult to decipher. We see
the Jew bribing a Christian, who removes the Hosts in a monstrance: then
the Christian departing from the Jewish Synagogue with his ill-gotten
gains. The third window I do not understand. After that, we see the Jews
betrayed by one of their number; the Miracle of the Blood, with their
horror and astonishment; the Recovery of the Hosts; and in the =North
Aisle=, their Return to the Church in procession, and the various
miracles afterward wrought by them. I cannot pretend to have deciphered
all these accurately. The =Nave= has the usual Flemish figures of the
Twelve Apostles set against the piers, most of them of the 17th century.
The great =west window= has the Last Judgment, by Floris, a poor
composition, overcrowded with indistinguishable figures.
* * * * *
The =pulpit=, by Verbruggen, is one of the usual unspeakable
abominations of seventeenth century wood-carving. Below are Adam and Eve
driven from Paradise: above, on the canopy, the Virgin and Infant
Saviour wound the serpent’s head with the cross: the Tree of Life,
supporting the actual platform, gives shelter to incredible birds and
animals. This ugly object was made for the Jesuits’ Church at Louvain,
and given to the Cathedral by Maria Theresa on the suppression of the
Society of Jesus.
* * * * *
Return to the =Transepts=. The window in the _North Transept_ represents
Charles V., kneeling, attended by his patron, Charlemagne, who was a
canonized saint, but who bears the sword and orb of empire. Behind him,
Charles’s wife Isabella, with her patroness, St. Elizabeth of Hungary,
holding the crown. This window, erected in 1538, from designs by Bernard
van Orley, was the gift of the Emperor. That in the _South Transept_
represents the Holy Trinity, with King Louis of Hungary kneeling in
adoration, attended by his patron, St. Louis of France. Behind him is
his Queen, Marie (sister of Charles V.), with her patron, the Blessed
Virgin. This window also is by Van Orley.
* * * * *