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Jesuits’ Church. ANTWERP. 13. Route. 179
Sceurs-Noires (Zwartzusters-Straat); visitors knock at the door sur-
mounted by a relief of the Madonna, at the beginning of the street
(adm. 4 fr., proportionately less for a party).
The front court contains a ‘Mt. Calvary’, an artificial mound covered
with pieces of rock and garnished with statues of saints, angels,
prophets, and patriarchs, and urmounted by a crucifix.
The wall of the Aste of the church is adorned with fifteen
j Yan Balen, Annunciation; MM. de Vos, Adoration
pictures (some r
of the Shepherd ntation in the Temple; Van Dyck, Bearing of
the Cross (youthful work . 1647); Jordaens, Crucifixion, Vinckboons,
R ction. — N. TE t: Rubens, Scourging of Christ (4617; covered).
ligh-Altar by P. Verbruggen, with altar-piece by Corn. Cels,
(4807; covered); on the left, tombs of Bishops
h. Ophoyvius (d. 1637) and Ambr. Capello, on the right, those of Henry
yan Varick, Margrave of Antwerp (d. 1641), and his wife Anna Dament,
and of J. de Vr — 8. T pt: on the left, Rubens, Assemblage of
church-teachers; G. de Crayer, Pieta; on the right, Teniers the Elder, The
Seven Works of Mercy. — The fine aissance panelling and confessionals
in the aisles and transepts and the baroque choir-stalls are by unknown
ar The church contains an excellent organ.
ent from the Cr
e Rue des Smurs-Noires leads hence to the E. to the Klapdorp
b. The North-Eastern Part of the Old Town.
In the Place Conscience, a little to the N.E. of the cathedral,
lies the former Jesuits’ Church (St. Charles Borromée; Pl. B, 3),
puilt in 1644-21 by the Jesuit Fr. Aiguillon, probably on the site
of a Romanesque structure, and sumptuously adorned with marble
and works of art from plans by Rubens. Rubens himself furnished
for it no fewer than 39 ceiling-paintings (comp. p. 184). The church
was burned to the ground in 1718, with the exception of the choir
with its two side-chapels containing three large altar-pieces by
Zubens (Assumption, Miracles of St. Ignatius Loyola and St. Francis
Xavier), now in Vienna. The church was rebuilt in the style of
the original edifice, though with less magnificence. The handsome
facade was restored in 1910. The pleasing bell-tower, behind the
choir, dates from the 17th century.
The InreRion is in the form of a basilica with galleries and choir-
apse. Round the walls runs a handsome carved wooden wainscoting with
medallions representing scenes from the lives of SS. Ignatius and Francis
Xavier, by Van Baurscheit (d. 1745) and Van der Voort (d. 1737). The
high-altar was d ed by Rubens. Over the altar the three following
paintings are exhibited alternately: C. Schult, Madonna enthroned; Segher's,
Christ on the Cross; Wappers, The Virgin interceding. The statues of Ss.
Francis Borgia and Francis Xayier are by A. Quellin the Elder, those of
§S. Ignatius and Aloysius by A. Colyns de Nole (17th cent.). — The Lady
Chapel, next the right aisle, still contains some specimens of the marble
decoration of the original building.
The building on the W. side of the Place contains the Municipal
Library (Stadsbibliotheck or Bibliothtque Communale), with 90,000
vols. (adm. Mon.-Frid. 9-4, in winter 8-10 p.m. also, on Sat. & Sun.
42-4). In front of it is a bronze statue of Hendrik Conscience, the
Flemish novelist (1842-83), by Fr. Joris. |
