SKETCHES, &c. AT THE N. II. J. WESTLAKE, ?■ ' A SOUVENIR OF THE MECHLIN EXHIBITION, 1864. LONDON : HUNTED BY R. CLAY, SON, AND TAYLOR, BREAD STREET HILL. A SOUVENIR OF THE EXHIBITION OF CHRISTIAN ART, ’ HELD AT MECHLIN, IN SEPTEMBER, MDCCCLXIV. IN A SERIES OF SKETCHES, &c. ftHitjr ricsfnptibf ^cfRrprcss. BY N. H. J. WESTLAKE. LONDON AND OXFORD : J. H. & J. PARKER. MDCCCLXVI. THE AUTHOR’S PREFACE. The accompanying Sketches cannot, it is true, claim to be much more than a slight reminiscence of the noble Exhibition of Ancient and Modern Works of Art held at Mechlin in the autumn of 1804. They were taken by the Author during a short vacation which he spent for his own im- provement and gratification in studying the treasures there gathered together ; and, as his stay was somewhat limited, he naturally chose those objects that could he the more readily sketched. The wide-spread general interest subsequently created by the Exhibition, added to the often- repeated requests of several friends, students of mediaeval art, for copies or for the loan of some of his sketches, has now induced him to give them to the public. All the objects represented have the advantage of being hitherto entirely unknown through any printed work, and it is hoped that they will be found alike interesting in an antiquarian and an artistic point of view. It would he a grave oversight to neglect this opportunity of expressing his grateful acknowledgments to those entrusted with the direction and custody of the Exhibition for their courtesy and kindness to him whilst drawing, and especially of thanking MM. de Bleser, Delvigne, and Weale, to the latter of whom (a fellow-countryman engaged for some years in collecting materials for a complete history of Flemish art) the Exhibition was chiefly indebted for its organization. 4 author’s preface. The descriptions of the objects illustrated are mostly taken from the • second edition of the excellent Catalogue, edited by Mr. "Weale with the aid of other members of the Guild of St. Thomas and St. Luke, and the original text is only slightly curtailed in less important matter, or extended with additional information here and there as it seemed expedient. The Author desires also to thank Mr. A. Franks, Director of the Society of Antiquarians, for his kindness in assisting him to select subjects, and for many valuable hints regarding them. The Prints are from blocks, executed by Mr. Hancock’s new photo- graphic process, and are facsimile representations of the Author’s pen and ink sketches. N. H. J. WESTLAKE. Canterbury Road, Notting Hill, 1866. WOOD CARVING. PLATE 1 , A. A Crucifix in the Byzantine style, dating probably about the tenth century, in the Collegiate Church of S. Peter, Louvain. It is curious that one arm is lower than the other, and neither arms nor feet are nailed. This suggests either that it may have formed part of a group 1 of the deposition from the cross, or perhaps that it had a mystical meaning; from its frequent occurrence in early cruci- fixes, I am inclined, to think the latter. The character of the head is very solemn, the feeling that pervades the whole figure severe, and the carving both of the nude and perizonium is very masterly. The head is very darkly coloured — more darkly than the body, and apparently of more recent painting, the perizonium white, bordered with a carved imitation of jewels. About thirty-three years since it was taken from one of the altars then removed from underneath the Jubd, and placed in its present position, over an altar in one of the South Aisle Chapels. One is entirely at loss to conceive why it is dressed, in a comparatively modern velvet tunic, 2 and the head disfigured with a badly-designed silver crown of thorns. It was uncovered for the first time for twenty-five years (according to the Sacristan’s account) on the occasion of the visit of the Committee of the Guild of SS. Thomas and Luke to the Church, in September, 1864, when I took the opportunity of drawing the parts accessible; the arms could not be uncovered. There is in the N. Aisle of the same church, nearly opposite, a work some centuries more modern, carved by an artist who had evidently much studied this, as the imitation is obvious ; this later one has had the limbs restored, and is not in such a good state of preservation as the more ancient. The antiquarian may get evidence that such imitations (lid take place in mediaeval times from 1 Chaste de TJuy, letter G, at end. * Late sixteenth century , time of Albert and Isabella. 6 WOOD-CARVING. Catalogue. Ed. 1, 90. „ 2, 142. Catalogue. Ed. 1, 121. „ 2,173. Catalogue. Ed. 1, 175. „ 2,178. the “ Secies Sapientiae” in the same Church, which appears at first sight to he nearly as old as the crucifix, but was really carved by Nicholas de Bruyn, 1 and painted and gilt by Bodolph Van Velx in a.d. 1442 ; the beautiful crowns belonging to this group were exhibited at Malines, Nos. 596-7 in Catalogue, 2nd Ed. PLATE 4, A. and C. Two Statuettes from the “ratable” of the High Altar of the Church of S. Saviour, at Haekendover, near Tirlemont, representing God the Father seated, his left hand on the Globe, his right blessing, and an Apostle. Unfortunately the sculptor, to whom the restoration of the “ retable ” was confided, scraped off the polychrome from the figures, and deranged the composition. They are of about the year a.d. 1390 — 1400. PLATE 4, D. One of the series of wood carvings illustrating the building of the Church of S. Saviour at Haekendover about a.d. 690 ; the sketch represents the Three Sisters who built it paying the Master Mason, etc. There is much character and humour in the treatment of the incident, the figure of the quiet and thoughtful master mason con- trasting forcibly with that of the carpenter behind him, who is grumbling in a very evident manner. He has his bag of tools hung round his waist by a broad belt. Same date as above; and in the same Church. iv 0> PLATE 5, D. Mater Omnium. Statuette carved in oak, beautifully painted in colour and gold ; Our Lady is represented sheltering the faithful, as children, under her mantle, upon the border of which is written in letters of gold, the “Gloria Patri.” The statuette lias lost its crown. This beautiful jiroduction of the school of Bruges is of the fifteenth cen- tury, and has the artist’s mark — a mallet and shell. Similar representa- tions of Our Lady occur in a bas-relief above the principal entrance of the School of Charity, Venice, in a painting by Fra P. Lippi, now in the Museum of Berlin, and in another by Pietro della Francesca, executed for the Hospital of Borgo San Sepolcro. The group belongs to the Chevalier Stcinmetz, Bruges. 1 Weald’s Belgium ( Barthes and Lowell), p. 283. MOSAIC — METAL WORK. 7 MOSAIC. C PLATE 1 , B. Head in Byzantine Mosaic (size of the original), from a half-length figure of Our Lord, blessing in the Greek manner with ,, 2! 594. his right hand, and holding a hook in his left. It is in very small tesserae, beautifully worked : the drapery is of a reddish-brown colour, heightened in the lights with gold, flesh low in tone, hair dull brown, background gold, border gold and black. It was presented by Pope Sixtus IV. to Philip de Croy, second Count of Cliimay, in 1475 : he left it with the case, by will, to the Chapter of Chimay. The case is of the fifteenth century, but not very interesting as a work of art ; it bears around its border the following legend : — “ Effigiem C lIRISTI FIERET QUAM CARNEUS ANTE HANC MAGNI FICTAM DEDIT IN PIGNUS AMORIS NANQUE CROY LEGATO SlXTUS PAPA PlIILIPPO.” One of the keys is kept by the Treasury of the Chapter of Chimay ; the other by the Dean. It belongs to the Church of SS. Peter and Paul, Chimay. A similar mosaic is in the Church of Borcette, near Aix-la-Chapelle ; another in the Louvre, and a third at Florence. METAL WORK. PLATE 1 , A. Our Lady and S. John, from the plate in the centre catalogue, of a portable reliquary, the figures are “repousse” in silver gilt, and originally had a figure of Our Lord nailed to a double-branched or Greek cross in the centre between them; this has been taken away, and the space filled with a relic. Our Lady raises her hands, which are covered with the orarium, 1 whilst S. John raises his right hand, and in his left holds a 1 Very similar to the ancient Chasuble, it is a grand vestment, and falls in beautiful folds. See also Chasse de Huy, letter G. Both these examples show the hands of Our Lady covered; and this is usual in all very early designs of the Crucifixion, whilst after the thirteenth century they are generally bare. I have drawn attention lo this, as in many iconographic works it is not noted. N. II. J. IV. 8 METAL WORK. Catalogue. Ed. 1,575. „ 2,618. Catalogue. Ed. 1, 345. „ 2,370. Catalogue. Ed. 1,1 001. „ 2, 368. Catalogue. Ed. 1,455. „ 2,489. book of the Gospels. The centre plate is probably of about the eighth century. The outer part (not drawn) is of the twelfth. The reliquary came from an ancient abbey in the diocese of Liege, and is now the property of M. le Senatcur Vergauwen of Ghent. PLATE 3, A. An Altar Candlestick of twelfth century work, in brass partly gilt and partly silvered; the three feet are formed of dragons, monsters, and open-worked foliage. The knop is also foliage in open work. The basin is supported by three dragons. Belongs to the Socurs Noirs, Bruges. PLATE 3, B. A. Chalice, brass gilt (on the interior of the paten a hand blessing in the Latin manner, not shown in the drawing) ; work of the thirteenth century. Belongs to the Diocesan Museum, Bruges. PLATE 2, C. Chalice in silver gilt. The foot is round, ornamented with ten plates in niello, representing Our Lord crucified, Our Lady, S. John the Evangelist, S. John the Baptist, and six Apostles: the triangular spaces between these plates are ornamentally chased with fruit and flowers (these are not shown in the drawing, it being too small, and the Trinita, B, is a better specimen of the niello-work) ; the plate-band of the foot has the inscription : * HUGO me fecit : orate pro eo : calix ecclesie beati nicholai de ognies : ave : The stem is ornamented with a magnificent knop (plan b), of a peculiar form, with chasing and niello ornamentation. Above and below this are little bands of delicate filigree. The whole is the work of Erere Hugo, early in the thirteenth century . 1 The cup is modern. This chalice belongs to the Sceurs de Notre Dame, Namur. PLATE 3, C. Back of an altar cross, — with figure of Our Lord in the centre, — and the Evangelical symbols in the four extremities, the arms i Friar Uugo is said to have been brother to the Lord of Walcourt, who founded the Priory of Ognies. For a descriptive list of his ivories, preserved at Namur and Walcourt, see Weale’s “ Belgium, Aix-la-Chapelle, and Cologne pp. 352-3, 3G7-8. ( Barthes and Lowell.) M ETA L WO It K . — ILLU MIN A TION . 9 between the figures being filled with diaper and foliage; it is engraved on plates of brass, and gilt ; these plates are fastened on wood. The face of the cross is covered with relics and ornamentation. It fits into a square stand ornamented with monsters, two of which are given with the cross. Work of the fourteenth century. In the Church of Saint Nicholas, llacquegnies. PLATE 3, D. Quignon of the (Damoiseaux) Gentlemen of Tournay in silver beaten into relief and chased, enriched with translucid enamel, representing the Genius of Tournay as a Lady sitting in the middle of a fortress washed at its bases by the water of the Scheldt. She holds two shields. On one, the arms of the Empire surmounted by a crown, and on the other the arms of the town of Tournay. It is somewhat damaged, and the enamel is rubbed off. Belongs to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Tournay. ILLUMINATION. PLATE 2, A. Ornament from a Book of the Gospels, 1 with figure of Brother Hugo at the foot, holding a scroll on which his name is written. It is the only illumination in the MS., which is still covered with the original binding, showing from its richness the respect entertained for the Holy Scriptures. These covers are made of plates of silver, partly gilt, covered with figures, animals, and ornament in relief ; niello, enamel, and chasing, besides cameos, precious stones, filigree, & c. Among those in niello re-occurs this same figure of Eriar Hugo, offering his "work to our Lord, and S. Nicholas, patron of the abbey of Oignies; but it has the appearance of having been refilled with black at some time, which has carried some of the finer lines together, and rendered the appearance coarser than the “ Trinita,” PI. 2 B. This cover, which is very elaborate, I have not drawn ; but a beautiful photograph of it is in the series of photographs of objects exhibited at Malines, about to be published ; an inscription round the cover runs thus : * LiBER:scRirTVS:iNTVS:ET:FORis:HVGO:scRiPsrr:iNTVS: Catalogue. Ed. 1. 773. „ 2,814. Catalogue. Ed. 1, ?D3. „ 2,646. 1 I have cut out a 'portion of the centre of the ornament ; it is, however, similar to the rest. 10 ILLUMINATION. — NEEDLEWORK. qvestv:foris:manv: * orate:pro:eo:ore:canvnt:alii:cristvm:canit:arte: FABRiLi.HVGo:syi:QVESTv:scRiPTA:LABORis:ARANS. The plate given is of tlie thirteenth century ; the work on the cover is not all Hugo’s, but varies in elate from the eleventh to the sixteenth centuries. Belongs to the Sisters of Notre Dame, Namur. NEEDLEWORK. Catalogue. PLATE 5 . The decapitation of S. Thomas, one of the sulfiects from Ed. 1, 728. 1 J ,, 2, 765. the orphrey of a cope embroidered in “ petit point.” The cope is of red velvet, excepting the orphrey and hood, which are decorated by subjects in colour on gold grounds. The colouring of the figures is worked in parallel stripes of tint longways, as shown in the diagram ; the ground is of gold and maize colour couched down upon fine linen, and has a cross diaper. 1 In the canopies are angels playing musical instruments, and heads of prophets. The hood has a representation of the Crucifixion, under which are Our Lady, S. John, S. Longinus, and the Centurion. The orphrey is com- posed of subjects representing the martyrdoms of the Apostles ; among these it is peculiar that S. Peter is being decapitated, a sort of licence evidently taken by the artist to make an exact fulfilment of Our Lord’s words, “ Those who use the sword shall perish by the sword,” as though predicated of S. Peter personally ; the rest are historically correct. The work dates about a.d. 1315 — 20. The cope is now in the Church of S. Saviour, Ilarlebeke. catalogue. PLATE 6, Eigure of Our Lady, from the group of the Nativity, on the 66f». Chasuble of a set, consisting of chasuble, dalmatic and tunic, all in a „ 2, 707 . t.. 709. wonderfully good state of preservation. The scene occupies all the two arms of the cross on the back orphrey, and includes the Adoration of the Shepherds, &c. It is remarkable for the purity of design and delicacy of execution, 1 being certainly one of the finest productions of the Elemish 1 The design has been falsely attributed to Hans Mewling; it bears many characteristics of his School, but Mr. IFcole informs me that he is decidedly of opinion that it is not by that waster. Some time since the late David Roberts, R.A., offered a large sum for this portion of the Chasuble. Fortunately, the proprietor did not mutilate the set. NEEDLEWORK. — ENAMEL. 11 school. Dr. Dock thinks it executed by the same hands as the vestments of the Order of the Golden Fleece, embroidered at Bruges in the time of Charles the Bold, now in the Imperial Treasury at Vienna : there is also in the Museum of Cologne an orphrey attributed by Dr. Bock to the same hand as the best work in this set. Some of the subjects are inferior both in design and execution, and by manifestly an inferior artist. Belongs to the Church of the Hermitage, Lierre. ENAMEL. THE CHASSE OE S. MAEK. In presenting the outlines of the enamels of this fine but hitherto catalogue, almost unknown shrine, it may be well to state, as a preliminary, that 2, In. the engraving upon the “champleve” is evidently by different hands, and in no case by that of the designer. I have felt bound, in reproducing them, to show as nearly as possible their precise character, lines thick or thin, broken or whole, and not to improve on them in any way. This course will be found most acceptable to all those who really understand the question. The Cliasse is of copper gilt, ornamented by twelve enamel plates ; the iconography of these representations is very curious, and merits much study. The character and design of the figures are very remarkable. On the contrary, the engraving is feeble ; but the grounds of the enamel are exquisitely harmonised, and very brilliant. It seems that the Plates D. E. E. II. I. are better, and more Byzantine in character, than the others, and most of them have the blessing given in the Greek manner (see the Angel, top of Plate I., which is evidently grander than the figure of Our Lord on the top of Plate J.) It is impossible for me to say whether those having the Greek manner of blessing were executed much earlier than those having the blessing in the Latin manner, or what should have caused this diversity. Many of the subjects are much the same as repre- sented from the earliest times. — “ The Entry into Jerusalem,” E., is almost 12 ENAMEL. a reproduction of compositions found on a sarcophagus in the catacombs, and in a Greek MS. of about the twelfth century in the British Museum (Harl. 1810, fo. 213). The action of the animal is identical; the same Apostles follow Our Lord, viz. SS. Peter and John, whilst the bending tree with the figure in it, the Gate, the Child throwing down a Garment, and all other parts are similar in both compositions. In the same MS. (fo. 26) a Nativity and Epiphany are combined, and taking away the Magi, we have again a striking resemblance to the Nativity, Plate A.; the attitudes of S. Joseph and the old Shepherd being exactly the same, whilst the Cave and Hill with Angels hovering over them are very little varied. The same MS. has also (fo. 246) a figure of S. Peter, in the washing of feet, which corresponds in action and position in composition with the same Apostle in Plate E., whilst Our Lord girt with a towel is about to take his uplifted foot. In fact, the influence of Greek models is evident in all the designs. The first Chasse of S. Mark was made by order of Theodwin, Bishop of Liege, in a.d. 1066 ; but no portion of the present one can be attributed to that epoch. * * * * The enamels of the plinth, and some other portions, are probably of the thirteenth century ; the rest more recent. The enamel plates are works, without doubt, of the school of Liege, the principal seat of which was at Maastricht, dating from the commence- ment of the thirteenth century. The chasse is in the Church of Notre Dame et Saint Domitian, Huy. The subjects are given full size. (A) The Nativity, with the Angels appearing to the Shepherds. (B) Adoration of Magi, who are conducted by an Angel. (C) The Plight into Egypt. Our Lady sitting on an ass conducted by the converted thief, followed by S. Joseph carrying the infant Jesus on his shoulders. An idol, crowned, makes obeisance, or is falling, as they pass along. (D) Raising of Lazarus. (E) Entry into Jerusalem. (P) Our Lord washing the Disciples’ feet. (G) The taking down from the Cross. ENAMEL. 13 (II) The Disciples at Emmaus. (I) The Sacrifice of Abraham. (.1) The Stoning of S. Stephen. T,IC Colouring in indicated as far as possible by numbers .— 1. Turquoise Blue. 2. Tone between Vermilion and Indian. Red. 3. Pearly White. 4. Dark Emerald Green. 5. Deep Ultramarine. 5 A. Same colour paler. 5 A A. Same, still paler, Spc. 5. Warm Purple Chocolate. 7. Dirty Gamboge. 8. Game, toned with Green. 9. With a deeper Green tone. 10. Black. 11. Dark Olive. 12. Whitey- Brown. 13. * * 14. Fellow Green. OTHER WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR. THE LITANY, From Old Royal MS. 2, B. VII. (Queen Mary’s Psalter.) British Museum. With an Introduction and Index. Published at 10s. ; now scarce, 27. 2s. OLH TESTAMENT HISTORY, From same MS. with Translations of Text. Vol. I. Part 1 to 7. Published at 17. 4s. 0 d. ; only a few copies remaining, 21. 10s. each. OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY, From same MS. with Translations of Text. Vol. 2. Part 8 to 14. By W. PURDUE, Architect. 17. 4s. 6c7. PL 2 . * fftjSwjJ-.l PI. 4 - PI. 5 - r "\ / o DC I .. * n H- MORT DE CLODEBERT, A SOISSONS. (D'apr^s le tableau d'Albert Maignan.)