Art and Art Deco

This past weekend we had the pleasure of showing a visiting American a bit of Belgium. We chose Antwerp because it isn't too far away and is a nice city. It lies on the Scheldt River and has one of Europe's largest seaports.

We met up at the beautiful Central Station built in 1895. This building still amazes me every time we see it. We then walked through the shopping district. Although we didn't shop, Antwerp is one of the best places for shopping in Belgium.

We walked by this Art Deco tower and thanks to Ross we learned . . . it was constructed on a site conveniently cleared during WWI and was the first skyscraper in Europe. Built prior to the 1930 Antwerp World Exhibition, one of the construction requirements given by the city council was that the building could not compete with the city's cathedral. That requirement for not obstructing the view of the cathedral still exists today.

The tower is nicknamed Boerentoren (Farmer's Tower) because at the time of its construction, the most important shareholder was a farmers cooperation. The official name of the tower is KBC because it is the current main tenant of the building and ironically is one of the largest banks in Belgium.

Having Ross along is like having a tour guide. We also learned of an art exhibit, including paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, at De Kathedraal. We've been to Antwerp several times, but I had not visited this cathedral.

Onze Lieve Vrouwekathedraal of Antwerpen

Our Lady's Cathedral of Antwerp

From the 9th to 12th centuries there was a chapel on this site, later replaced by a Romanesque cathedral. In 1352, construction began for a new church. In 1521, the present church was ready.

As with most architecture hundreds of years old, it has seen its share of destruction. The interior of the church was largely destroyed by fire in 1533, but was completely restored. Only 33 years later in 1566, Protestants destroyed the interior once again including many artistic treasures.

Roman Catholic authority returned and the church was once again restored in 1585. Of course that's not the last of this cycle. In 1794, French revolutionaries conquered the region once again inflicting serious damage and even considered demolishing it.

Despite all the destruction, the church was completely restored in 1816 and important works of art were returned. Another complete restoration took place between 1965 and 1993 and the cathedral is now in excellent condition. It's not only a museum, but a working church with Mass held every day.

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was a 17th century Baroque painter. He is well-known for his altarpieces (like the one above), as well as portraits and landscapes.

The Descent from the Cross

This painting by Peter Paul Rubens is considered the absolute masterpiece of 17th century Flemish painting. It was impossible to capture the entire image close-up as this center panel is 10 x 14 feet!

Raising of the Cross

This painting by Peter Paul Rubens may be his most famous. As you can see I wasn't the only one with a camera. It is even larger at 11 x 15 feet!

Despite centuries of destruction, not only these paintings, but this spectacular cathedral is here for us to enjoy. Perhaps the rest of the world will see fit to continue a peaceful and tolerant existence so history will not repeat itself in this church or any other place of worship. Any other.