DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.29899#0214
194
BELGIAN ARCHITECTURE.
Part II.
tracery of which I hardly know an example elsewhere. The
representation given above (Woodcut ISTo. 679) of one of the windows
of the transept will explain this ; throughout it the tracery consists
of holes cut into slabs ; yet this church is said to have been
commenced in 1240, and only finished in 1276. In Germany such a
date would be probable ; in France a similar specimen would be assigned
to a period from 70 to 100 yeai’s earlier.
Among the many efforts made in Belgium to get rid of the awk-
wardness of the pointed form for windows was that in the choir of
Notre Dame de la Chapelle, at Brussels (begun 1216), where the
circular tracery is inserted in a circular-headed window, producing a
much more pleasing effect, both internally and externally, than the
pointecl form, except with reference to the vault, with which it is so
little in accordance that the experiment seems to have been abandoned,
and no attempt made afterwards to renew it.
Besides those already mentioned, Belgium possesses about twenty
first-class churches of pointed architecture, all deserving attentive
consideration, some of them being almost uni’ivalled edifices of their
class. Among the earliest of these is the cathedral of Liège, begun in
1280, exhibiting the style in great purity. It has no western entrance,
but, like St. Croix, St. Jacques, and all the principal churches of this
city, is entered by side porches.
A little later we have the eastern parts of St. Gudule, Brussels
(a.d. 1220-1273), and two other very beautiful churches : Notre Dame
de Tongres (1240), and St. Martin, Ypres (1232-70). The latter is
perhaps thepurest and best specimen of the Gothic of the 13th century
in Flanders ; and of about the same age is the beautiful church of
N. D. cle Dinant. These are almost the only important specimens
of the contemporary art of the 13th century which still excite our
admiration in all the principal cities of France. Almost all the great
cathedrals in that country belong to this age, which was also so prolific
of great builclings in England. But Belgium does not seem to have
sharecl to any great extent in the impulse then given to church archi-
tecture. Her buildings are spread pretty evenly over the whole period
from the lOth to the 16th century, as the steadily growing wealth of
the country demanded them, and but little influenced by the great
political oscillations of her neighbours. In the next century we have
N. D. de Huy (1311), the beautiful parish church at Aerschot (1337),
ancl N. D. cle Hal (1341)—small but elegant places of worship. The
two crowning examples, however, of this age are N. D. of Antwerp
(1352—1411), and St. Bombaut, Malines. The choir of this latter
church was dedicated in the year 1366, having been commenced about
the same time as that at Antwerp, but the nave was not erected till a
century afterwarcls (1456-1464), ancl the tower was not carried even
to its present height till the 16th century.
BELGIAN ARCHITECTURE.
Part II.
tracery of which I hardly know an example elsewhere. The
representation given above (Woodcut ISTo. 679) of one of the windows
of the transept will explain this ; throughout it the tracery consists
of holes cut into slabs ; yet this church is said to have been
commenced in 1240, and only finished in 1276. In Germany such a
date would be probable ; in France a similar specimen would be assigned
to a period from 70 to 100 yeai’s earlier.
Among the many efforts made in Belgium to get rid of the awk-
wardness of the pointed form for windows was that in the choir of
Notre Dame de la Chapelle, at Brussels (begun 1216), where the
circular tracery is inserted in a circular-headed window, producing a
much more pleasing effect, both internally and externally, than the
pointecl form, except with reference to the vault, with which it is so
little in accordance that the experiment seems to have been abandoned,
and no attempt made afterwards to renew it.
Besides those already mentioned, Belgium possesses about twenty
first-class churches of pointed architecture, all deserving attentive
consideration, some of them being almost uni’ivalled edifices of their
class. Among the earliest of these is the cathedral of Liège, begun in
1280, exhibiting the style in great purity. It has no western entrance,
but, like St. Croix, St. Jacques, and all the principal churches of this
city, is entered by side porches.
A little later we have the eastern parts of St. Gudule, Brussels
(a.d. 1220-1273), and two other very beautiful churches : Notre Dame
de Tongres (1240), and St. Martin, Ypres (1232-70). The latter is
perhaps thepurest and best specimen of the Gothic of the 13th century
in Flanders ; and of about the same age is the beautiful church of
N. D. cle Dinant. These are almost the only important specimens
of the contemporary art of the 13th century which still excite our
admiration in all the principal cities of France. Almost all the great
cathedrals in that country belong to this age, which was also so prolific
of great builclings in England. But Belgium does not seem to have
sharecl to any great extent in the impulse then given to church archi-
tecture. Her buildings are spread pretty evenly over the whole period
from the lOth to the 16th century, as the steadily growing wealth of
the country demanded them, and but little influenced by the great
political oscillations of her neighbours. In the next century we have
N. D. de Huy (1311), the beautiful parish church at Aerschot (1337),
ancl N. D. cle Hal (1341)—small but elegant places of worship. The
two crowning examples, however, of this age are N. D. of Antwerp
(1352—1411), and St. Bombaut, Malines. The choir of this latter
church was dedicated in the year 1366, having been commenced about
the same time as that at Antwerp, but the nave was not erected till a
century afterwarcls (1456-1464), ancl the tower was not carried even
to its present height till the 16th century.