The two oak wood retable fragments each depict two Roman horsemen. These fragments were likely part of a large, central Calvary scene of a monumental Passion retable, where they flanked a central Crucifixion as pendants to each other. Within the preserved retable sculpture from the Duchy of Brabant and the broader South-Netherlandish Late Gothic sculpture, they hold a unique position thanks to their signature; signed sculptures or groups from the Netherlands are very rare in museums and churches. Furthermore, these fragments are the only signed retable fragments of Leuven origin. As one of the fragments in this pair bears an original signature, the benchmark value of this work for the knowledge of Roesen’s oeuvre and Brabantine sculpture is particularly significant. The equestrian fragments also demonstrate a direct stylistic influence from the work of Jan II Bormen, whose St. George retable had been displayed in the Church of Our Lady of Ginderbuiten in Leuven since 1493, serving as a connecting link. Moreover, both fragments are important for the study of assembly techniques in Brabantine Late Gothic sculpture, as they are ‘blockverleimte skulpturen’ (sculptures assembled from blocks). These retable fragments are the first and only examples of this technique in Leuven. Additionally, a signed retable fragment aligns with the increasing self-awareness of the artist during the transition from Late Gothic to early Renaissance. The addition of the signature ‘Hendrik Roesen’ illustrates how the artisanal status of the sculptor is exchanged for artistic authorship, thus acquiring a specific connecting value.
The holy Mary Magdalene enjoyed great veneration in Zoutleeuw and had her own chapel within the place of worship. This sculpture is the only remaining sculptural witness of this ancient and vibrant devotion, making it significant for the collective memory. Among the sculptures depicting St. Magdalene as a wealthy worldly woman – rather than a penitent figure – that have been preserved in Flanders, this is perhaps the most impressive due to its lively posture and the virtuoso depiction of fabrics, drapery and clothing details. The sculpture still bears numerous traces of valuable ancient polychromy.
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The exceptionally rich archive of Camille Huysmans not only documents Belgium’s socialist past (he was, among other things, the mayor of Antwerp), but it also reflects his international political career. As a result, he visited many different places. These visits yielded a stunning series of glass plates, reminiscent of those found in a travel guide, particularly in the case of Georgia. Although we are presented with Georgia as it was 100 years ago, we cannot help but be impressed by the natural landscapes and surroundings captured in these images.
This is the 9th lantern slide from a series of 15 glass slides (8.5 x 10 cm) featuring black-and-white photographs that illustrate the manufacturing of cellulose paper at the beginning of the 20th century in Germany. On the front side, there is a round, serrated label with the handwritten number '9.' and two oblong labels with 'SEESTERN-LICHTBILDER / E. A. SEEMANN LEIPZIG / Serie 8 / N° 9' and 'Zellulose-Papierfabrikation. / Das Sortiren der Holzstücke.' (Cellulose Paper Manufacturing. / Sorting the Wood Pieces.) The lantern slide consists of a double glass plate held together by black paper adhesive tape. Around 1929, it was part of the lending collection of the Stedelijk Schoolmuseum in Antwerp.
Sorting of the wood pieces.
This is the 7th lantern slide from a series of 36 glass slides (8.5 x 8.5 cm) featuring black-and-white illustrations accompanying the story of Reynard the Fox, which has a rich European history. The oldest Middle Dutch version of this satirical epic featuring anthropomorphic animals is 'Van den vos Reynaerde', written in the second half of the 13th century by 'Willem die Madocke maecte'. The engravings in this series were originally created by Wilhelm von Kaulbach (1805-1874) for a German-language version of the epic in 1857, namely Goethe's 'Reineke Fuchs', and contain many additional satirical elements.
On the front side, there is a rectangular label with the pencil notation 'DCA 7', a second rectangular label printed with 'Lichtbeelden Vereeniging, Amsterdam.', and a round label with the handwritten number '7'. The lantern slide consists of a double glass plate held together by black paper adhesive tape. Around 1934, it was part of the loanable collection of the Stedelijk Schoolmuseum Antwerp.
In this scene, Reynard has shown Bruin the bear how to get honey. This is a trap. Bruin gets stuck with his front paws in the tree trunk (a stump that seems to laugh at him), and Reynard points to the group of people who are somewhat hesitantly approaching to attack the bear with whatever they can find: a club, a pitchfork, an axe, and the man with the bootjack under his belt has a heavy stone in his hand. In the lower right corner are the letters 'VK' (Von Kaulbach).
This is the 40th lantern slide from a series of 47 glass slides (8.5 x 10 cm) featuring colour illustrations of the fables of Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695). There is one slide per fable. The producer of the series is Maison de la Bonne Presse from Paris, and the artist is Achille Lemot (1846-1909), who was employed by Maison de la Bonne Presse as an illustrator from 1884 until his death.
On the front side, there is a round label with the handwritten number '40' and a rectangular label with printed 'Maison de la Bonne Presse / 5, Rue Bayard, Paris' and handwritten '40 Fables'. The lantern slide consists of a double glass plate held together by black paper adhesive tape. Around 1929, it belonged to the loanable collection of the Stedelijk Schoolmuseum Antwerp (available only for teaching purposes).
The Little Fish and the Fisherman - Het kleine visje en de visser - Le petit poisson et le pêcheur.
The fisherman had caught a very small fish that begged to be thrown back into the water and caught again once it had grown into a large carp, at which point the fisherman would have more to eat. The fisherman chose to fry the small fish instead. The moral of this fable is that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush: you are certain of the one, while the other may slip away.