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184 Route 13. ANTWERP. Old Town:
Engraving of the tower of the cathedral by Wenzel Hollar of Prague (1649).
In this room is also a 17th cent. plan of Antwerp. — We now ascend the
staircase to Room 1X, in which are drawings by Fr. Floris, Rubens (to the
left of the window is the so-called Seneca, in ¢ aille, copied from an
antique bust of a philosopher), Van Dyck, Jordaens, H. de Braekeleer,
H. Leys, etc. — We descend into the court again and turn to the right
into the Prinrine Orrice, where everything is left arranged as if work
were to be resumed to-morrow. We first enter the Proor READERS’
Room (X), where old proof-sheets are still lying on the desks and benches.
Next to this are the Proprreror’s Orrrcx (XI), with gilt-leather hangings,
and the so-called Room or Justus Lipsrus (XII), with Spanish leather
hangings, where the distinguished critic and philologist is said to have
been lodged when visiting his publisher Moretus. A passage (XIII) leads
hence to the Trpz Room (XIV), with old matrices, etc., and three 48th
cent. statues in wood brought here from another part of the house. Finally
the Composing aND PrintING Room (XV), built in 1576, by the exit-wall
of which stand two presses of the 16th century.
We now return to the vestibule and ascend the stairs to the First
Floor, Rooms XVI. & XVII., to the left, contain specimens of Plantin’s
printing, including (R. XVII, No. 75) two volumes of the celebrated Biblia
Regia of 1568-73; R. XVII contains also a Buhl commode. — In Room XVIII
is a small library. — Rooms XIX & XXI contain a collection of wood-
cuts, a map of Flanders in 1540 (No. 3 in R. XIX), by Mercator, and a
coloured view of Antwerp in 1565 (No. 4 in R. XIX), and water-colour
copies by Jac. de Wit ({711-42) from the paintings of Rubens for the
Jesuits’ Church (p. 179; R. XXI). — Room XXII contains old copper-
plates, with numerous early impressions. — Room XXIII, with six family-
portraits (17-48th cent.), is a sitting-room. — Room XXIV contains the
documents conferring the various privileges enjoyed by Plantin, including
two (Nos. 2, 1) from Philip Il. (4568) and Maximilian II. (1576). — In
Room XXV are copper-plates and engravings after Rubens, Jordaens, and
Van Dyck. — Room XXVI contains works by celebrated engravers of Ant-
werp. — Room XXVII, another sitting-room, contains book-bindings and
a portrait by Jos. Delin of Ed. Moretus-Plantin, the last owner of the
printing-office (1879). — Passing through a BEDROOM (XXIX) fitted up with
old furniture we enter Room <, in which are specimens of printing
executed in Antwerp in the 15-18th centuries.
On the Second Floor is the Typr Founpry (XXXI, XXXII). — Passing
through the two Lisrarres (XXXIII, XXXIV) and the Montmenr Room
(XXXV), we return to the staircase.
A few paces to the N. of the Plantin Museum, at No. 16 Rue du
St. Esprit (Heilig Geeststraat) is the small Musée de Folklore,
founded in 1907 (adm., see p. 168). The exhibits have explanatory
labels ; catalogue (1907) 40 .c. On the growndfloor (Rooms A & B) are
domestic antiquities; on the second floor (Rooms CO & D) exhibits il-
lustrating the religion, medicine, and superstitions of the Flemings.
From the Marché du Vendredi we proceed to the S.W. through
the short Ruelle du Marché-du-Vendredi (Vrydagmarkt-Straatje)
and the Rue des Cheyaliers (Ridder-Straat), and then to the left,
through the Rue des Augustins, to the —
Church of St. Andrew (PI. B, 4), built in 1514-23, and con-
taining interesting pictures. In the afternoon the church is entered
from the Rue St. André (visitors knock); the sacristan (4/2 fr.), who
is usually in the church, lives at Rue St. André 43.
Nave. The pulpit, in carved wood, is by Van Geel and Van Hool
(18th cent.). St. Peter and St. Andrew are represented in a boat on the
sea, from which they are summoned by the Saviour. Side-altar on the S.: |
