Sam, I am: February 2021

Tuesday 9 February 2021

Quasimodo, the Stinker and the Blinker.

On our visit to Brugge (Bruges), we booked with a small company offering two tour itineraries. With the name Quasimodo Tours and choosing a tour that “travels between twin canals locally known as the Stinker and the Blinkerˮ how could we go wrong. We didn't! I would highly recommend this company to anyone looking for the type of tours they offer. The tour we did was the Best of Belgium and was a great way to explore some of the more out of the way places. Our guide Philippe was incredibly knowledgeable, entertaining and presented numerous humorous insights making for a thoroughly engaging experience (https://www.quasimodo.be/).

Castle Tillegem

The other tour offered is to Flanders Fields, a few of the stops were planned as stops while en-route to Brugge; so we did not book that tour. To quote Robbie Burns; “The best-laid schemes o' mice an' menˮ or women, in this case, did not take into account the mass confusion known as immigration Control at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Two and a half hours to clear immigration control after an early morning arrival, followed by the car rental agency spending over an hour trying to find us a smaller rental vehicle throws off the schedule. I do not think I have ever been more thankful in my life for a colossal waste of my time. We would have been packed in like sardines as the “large SUVˮ was about the size of a Jeep Wrangler for three ladies, luggage and camera gear on a 3-week tour of Belgium and France. Our first stop en-route to Brugge was Beaumont Hamel. Of course, we had not taken into account the emotional impact of this stop, so we stayed longer than planned. The result was more schedule slippage and no visit to Flanders Fields. All the more reason for another visit in the future.

Loppem Chateau

Tillegem Castle (Kasteel van Tillegem), the first stop on the tour was a square moated castle originally dating back to the 12th or 13th century. Over the following centuries, the castle was owned by various families from Bruges, who rebuilt it several times. In 1879 Tillegem Castle was acquired by Baron Eugène Charles de Peñaranda de Franchimont, who had the castle rebuilt to its present appearance in Flemish Gothic Revival style per the architect Jean-Baptiste de Béthune. It is presently owned by the Province of West Flanders where several of its offices are presently housed. While the castle is not open to the public, the surrounding park is (https://www.castles.nl/tillegem-castle).

The second stop was Loppem Chateau (Kasteel van Loppem) located just east of the town of Loppem. It is a "new" castle built between 1858 and 1862 by Baron Charles van Caloen replacing an earlier 18th-century mansion. Architects Edward Welby Pugin and Jean-Baptiste de Béthune designed it with the latter giving it, its Flemish Gothic Revival appearance. The castle is open to viewing and houses a lovely art collection which will be a topic of a separate post (https://www.castles.nl/loppem-castle).

Tithe Barn of Ter Doest Abbey
ca. 1375

The lunch stop was the restaurant Ter Doest, located on the grounds of the former Cistercian Abbey Ter Doest in Lissewege, Belgium. The sole remaining building dating from ca. 1375 is one of the last surviving examples of a medieval barn whose construction technique was specifically adapted to the maritime climate of north-western Europe. Numerous sculptures around the barn were part of the Statues in the White Village annual open-air art exhibition.

After lunch we headed off to the picturesque village of Damme, passing the Schellemolen Windmill along the way on the Damse Vaart (Damme Canal). Seems Damme is a book lovers' paradise. Every second Sunday of the month, Damme is transformed into a book centre, as booksellers from near and far come together to display their wares! I know ladies I am in a bit of trouble for not knowing that tidbit of information while on our trip. Damme is an easy day trip from Brugge (7 km) by car, canal barge, bike, or a walk along the canal.

“The blinkerˮ or the pure one as it is known is the leopoldcanal, an un-navigable waterway dug in 1845 for drainage of the surrounding polders. “The Stinkerˮ is the locale name for the Schipdonkcanal which was dug in 1852 and is partially navigable. Its names came from the stink and pollution that was associated with “retting of flaxˮ from industrial activity along the River Lys. “Retting of flaxˮ is not done today so both the water quality and related odours no longer exist but the locale name will live on in infamy.

Castle Tillegem

Castle Tillegem Moat Warning
There is one in every crowd!

Statues in the White Village (Lissewege at Ter Doest Abbey

Happy People by Luc De Prest
https://www.metalartwork.be/

Irénée Duriez
https://www.ireneeduriez.be/nl

Ceramic Bull Sculpture by Dirk Santens
https://santensgobeyn.wixsite.com/santens

Around Damme

Schellemolen 1867
A mill has been on this spot since 1479.
Two millstones (grain and oil)

Stadhuis (Damme Town Hall)
Brabantine Gothic built in 1464

Huyse de Grote Sterre (Late Gothic)
Damme Tourist Information, Post Office and small museum
Sections date back to 1200's
Joined as 1 building in 15th or 16th-century

Tijl Uilenspiegel holds up a mirror to us in Jef Claerhout's sculpture group 1979
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Till_Eulenspiegel

Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Damme, Belgium

View from graveyard of Our Lady of the Assumption Church (13th-century)

Tower of Our Lady of the Assumption Church (13th-century)

The Triumph of the Eucharist over Philosophy and Science
in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Damme, Belgium
Original was done by Peter Paul Rubens (baroque style) ca 1626-1625
(not sure if this is an original, done by his workshop, or a copy but it is based on a Rubens painting)

Our Lady of the Assumption Church

Our Lady of the Assumption Church
Organs 1639 with interior contents 1844

Our Lady of the Assumption Church
Memorial Stone

The following websites and links in the blog provide additional information:

http://www.damme-online.com/gb.htm

https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-things-to-do-in-damme-belgium/

Sunday 7 February 2021

It's How The Pieces and Colours Fit Together

St. Michael's and St. Gudula
Cathedral

My husband and I walked around Brussels without a destination or plan during our visit in 2011. We came upon St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral and on whim, decided to go inside. I can honestly say this was one of our better decisions. The stained glass windows are some of the most beautiful I have had the pleasure of viewing. The rest of the Cathedral is also exquisite but I admit to focusing on the windows.

The church's construction began in the 11th century and was largely complete by the 16th, though its interior has undergone frequent modifications over time. The choir was constructed between 1226 and 1276 with the façade completed in the mid-fifteenth century. The two front towers were completed in the early 16th century under Charles V. The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula is the national church of Belgium and was granted cathedral status in 1962. It is the finest surviving example of Brabantine Gothic architecture. The cathedral is built of stone from the Gobertange quarry.

The last Judgment (1528)

Stained glass was primarily a religious art form and with the spread of christianity (and other religions) resulted in the growth and proliferation of this art form. Perhaps the most outstanding feature of the interior of St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral are the stained glass windows, created by a variety of stained glass masters from the 16 to 19 centuries.

The oldest window in the cathedral depicting is the Last Judgement, that was installed in 1528. The artist responsible for this beautiful work is actually unknow, though some people think it was the work of Frans Floris but others are not so sure. This beautiful Renaissance stained-glass window depicts the prince-bishop of Liège and was donated in 1528 by him (Erard de la Marck (1472-1538)) as a tribute to the emperor Charles V.

Jan Haeck from Antwerp is credited with producing both of the cathedral’s transept windows in 1537 after drawings by Bernard van Orley. Some of the other 16th century windows in the church were produced by Nicolas Rombouts, a master glass-painter to the Court of Margaret of Austria. Jean De Labaer of Antwerp executed 4 windows from designs by himself and those of Theodor van Thulden in the 1650s. Many of the remaining windows were produced by JB Capronnier between 1848 and 1880. Such a diverse group of artisans from several centuries has resulted in a variety of styles which rather than distracting lends to the charm of St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral.

The photographs of the stained glass are processed to highlight the stained glass rather than the architecture. I believe that the beauty of stained glass is how the pieces and colours fit together to create a visual framework with light adding the mood and directing the piece's story.

Jean Haeck Stained Glass

The stained glass windows were made by Jan Haeck are based on drawings by Bernard van Orley (ca 1488-1541). Haeck and van Orley were also responsible for the windows adorning the northern and southern transepts (ca 1537-1548).

1537

1538

1540

1542

1546

1547

Jan De LaBaer Stained Glass

The stained glass windows created by Jan de LaBaer (ca 1603-1668) were executed per his design (1) or from designs (3) of Theodoor van Thulden (1606-1690). The stained glass windows by de LaBaer consisted of four windows in the Lady Chapel (constructed 1645-1659) of St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, executed between 1654-1663.

Jan de Labaer per own design 1654

1663

1658

Jean-Baptiste Capronnier Stained Glass

Jean-Baptiste Capronnier (1814–1891) was a Belgian stained-glass painter born in Brussels. Many credit him with the modern revival of glass-painting. An interesting footnote is that he was also an entomologist specialising in Lepidoptera and a member of the Royal Belgian Entomological Society.

1870

Stain Glass from the Chapel of St Mary Magdalene

A baroque chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen (or Maes chapel, after the family who funded it in 1675) and was once used as the burial crypt for the Maes family). It is baroque-style and hexagonal in shape. It is surmounted by a small cupola with stained glass by JB Capronnier.

Unknown

The attribute of the following stained glass pieces is unknown or rather I was unable to find information regarding the artist(s) responsible for their execution. The differing styles suggest 3 different artists were responsible for them.