Laurys Gillis
Laurys Gillis, also known as Laurentius, Laurent, Laureis, Louwerijs Gieles (Antwerp 1688 – Antwerp 1749) was a sculptor from Antwerp (Belgium).[1]
Biography
Shoemakers son of Jean Gillis from Hoegaarden, Belgium and Maria Margareta Gantier.[2] Baptized on August 25, 1688, in Antwerp, Belgium. Married on 3 May 1712 in Antwerp to Helena Mattheyssens. Louwerijs Gieles was registered in 1701/1702 as a student of the famous sculptor Michiel van der Voort the Elder (Antwerp 1667 – Antwerp 1737). In 1721/1722 he was admitted as master Louwerensius Gieles in the craft of bell cutters.[3]
He was a member of the Saint Luke Guild in Antwerp.[4]
Two of his sons, Josephus Gillis (Antwerp 1724 – Antwerp 1773) and Jean-Baptiste Gillis (Antwerp 1717 – 1752) also became sculptors. A third, Herman Gillis (Antwerp 1733 – Antwerp 1791) became a painter and director of the academy in Leuven.[3]
Major works
His most important works in marble and ceramic have been sent to Holland.
A work by him is the Madonna and Child on the corner of the Lange Klarenstraat and the Meir in Antwerp.[5][6] The late Baroque statue was made for the boarding school of the Jesuits on the Sint-Jacobsmarkt. It initially consisted of a group of three figures. This statue was previously attributed to Pieter (I) Verbruggen (Antwerp 1615 – Antwerp 1686). The Madonna was restored at the end of 2013. She was relocated at the end of December 2014. An additional angel head was applied during the restoration.[7]
Another work by him is in the Sint-Jacob church in Antwerp. It is a statue made in 1740 of St. Johannes Nepomucenus.[8] The statue is made of marble.
In 2008, two small angel statues made by Laurys Gillis were sold at a Sothebys auction for 12,000 euros.[9]
Bibliography
- J.M. Muller, 'St. Jacob's Antwerp Art and Counter Reformation in Rubens's Parish Church p. 405
- Verhandelingen van de Koninklijke Vlaamsche Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schone Kunsten van België, Klasse der Schone Kunsten, Nummer 5, p. 431
- Philippe Félix Rombouts, Théodore François Xavier van Lerius, De Liggeren en andere historische archieven der Antwerpsche Sint Lucasgilde, Volume 2, pp. 628, 632, 725–726
- Piron, Académie Royale: Biographie nationale, pp. 255–257, 261
- J.De Coo, Museum Mayer Van den Bergh, p. 263
References
- ^ "Gillis, Laurentius | Inventaris Onroerend Erfgoed". inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be.
- ^ "Laurentius Gillis". Laurentius Gillis.
- ^ a b Piron, Académie Royale: Biographie nationale, pp. 255–257, 261
- ^ Philippe Félix Rombouts, Théodore François Xavier van Lerius, 'Historic Archives of the Saint Luke Guild in Antwerp, Volume 2, pp. 628, 632, 725–726
- ^ "Antwerpen – Madonna met Kind". statues.vanderkrogt.net.
- ^ "Hoegaardier maakte beeld voor Antwerpse Meir". Het Nieuwsblad.
- ^ "Verbeelding". www.verbeelding.be.
- ^ J.M. Muller, "The cult of St. Johannes Nepomucenus in the St Jacob’s Church, Antwerp", in: K. Van der Stighelen (ed.), Munuscula Amicorum. Contributions on Rubens and his colleagues in honour of Hans Vlieghe, Turnhout 2006, dl. 2, pp. 489–508
- ^ http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2008/european-sculpture-and-works-of-art-l08231/lot.152.html