Jan van Wavere explained

Jan Van Wavere (? – 1521/22) was an influential Brabantine polychromer of late gothic Brabantine altarpieces (also called retables), mainly produced in the Brabantine towns of Antwerp, Brussels and Mechelen. During the15th–16th century, over 1000 altarpieces were traded and exported to many European countries.^[1] More than 300 complete examples of Brabantine altarpieces can still be found in museums and churches all over Europe, from the Baltic countries (e.g. St. Nicholas' Church, Tallinn) down to Spain.

Life and work

Little is known about his life. Jan van Wavere, who worked in Mechelen, was one of the few 16th century polychromers with sufficient reputation to sign his works. Three carved wooden altarpieces are signed with the name Jan van Wavere.^[2]

• Altarpiece of Church of the Order of Teutonic Knights (Vienna, Austria)

- Signature: "I. V. Wavere"

- Date: 1520

• St Dymphna reliquary placed on top of the Dymphna-altarpiece (Brussels, 1490–1500) in the church of St Dymphna (Gheel, Belgium)^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

- Created in Mechelen^[1]

- Date: 1515

• Altarpiece of the Jäder Church (Jäder, Sweden)^{[6] [7]}

- Executed in the workshop of Jan Borman in Brussels^[7]

- Artists: Jan Van Coninxloo (painter) and Jan van Wavere (polychromer)

- Signatures: "1514/Jan van Coninxloo/Brussel" and "Ian van Wavere heeft dit ghehad"

- Date: 1514

His name was also mentioned in the account books of Pand market, operated by the Cathedral of Our Lady (Antwerp), an annual trade fair for the exhibition and sale of works of art (1460–1560)^[8]

References

• Roosval . Johnny. Johnny Roosval . Om altarskåp i svenska kyrkor och museer ur mäster Bormans verkstad i Bryssel (altarpieces in Swedish churches and museums made by Master Jan Borman's workshop in Brussels) . Bidrag till Södermanlands äldre kulturhistoria (BISÄK). Upplands Svenska historiska föreningen. 1903. 5–104.
• Fernand . Donnet. Jean van Wavere, peintre ou sculpteur malinois. Bulletin du cercle archéologique, littéraire et artistique de Malines. 1921. XXVI . 1–21. fr.
• Roosval . Johnny. Johnny Roosval . Rétables d'origine néerlandaise dans les pays nordiques. Revue belge d'archéologie et d'histoire de l'art. 1933. 3 . 2 . fr. 1–25.
• Lindqvist . Gunnar . Senmedeltida altarskåp från Bryssel och Antwerpen i Sverige. Licentiatavhandling framlagd i Konsthistoriska institutet vid Stockholms högskola vårterminen. Stockholms universitet. 131 ff. 1958. sv.
• Book: Andersson, Aron. Medieval Wooden Sculpture in Sweden . III – Late Medieval Sculpture . Almqvist and Wiksell International. 1980.
• Book: Flodin, Barbro . Jäders Kyrka, Österrekarne härad, Södermanland . Almqvist & Wiksell International . Stockholm . 1989 . 91-7192-757-3 .
• Book: De Boodt . Ria. Schäfer . Ulrich . Vlaamse retabels: een internationale reis langs laatmiddeleeuws beeldsnijwerk. Davidsfond. 2007. Leuven. nl. 978-90-5826-485-5.

External links

• Web site: Catalog of images of the St Dymphna altarpiece. 2007-11-07. Royal Institute for the Study and Conservation of Belgium's Artistic Heritage. Picture Library.
• Web site: Catalog of images of the Jäders altarpiece. 2007-10-17. Royal Institute for the Study and Conservation of Belgium's Artistic Heritage. Picture Library.

Notes and References

1. Ria . De Boodt. Retabelkasten, ornamentiek en beeldsnijwerk. Onderzoek naar de mate van formele standaardisatie in de Antwerpse retabelproductie van de zestiende eeuw. . PhD dissertation (4 vols). Vrije Universiteit Brussel . nl . 2004 .
2. Encyclopedia: Jan van wavere. 2007-10-16. Oxford University Press. Art Encyclopedia.
3. Web site: Detailed description of the St Dymphna altarpiece. 2007-11-07. Royal Institute for the Study and Conservation of Belgium's Artistic Heritage. Picture Library. (in French)
4. Book: Tourist Information Geel . Guide of the St-Dympnachurch (Geel) . St. Dympna and Hospital Museum. 2001.
5. Five different sculpted altarpieces are standing in the church of St Dymphna (Gheel, Belgium). According to Ria Deboodt (Nov. 2007),

   Jan van Wavere did not paint the sculptures of the Dimpna-altarpiece on the main altar (made in Brussels by 1490–1500). He was the polychromer of the altarpiece with the reliquary of the Saint placed on top of the Dimpna-altarpiece.

6. Web site: Detailed description of the Jäders altarpiece (Belgian archives). 2007-10-17. Royal Institute for the Study and Conservation of Belgium's Artistic Heritage. Picture Library. (in French)
7. Web site: Detailed description of the Jäders altarpiece (Swedish archives). 2007-11-07. Historiska museet. Medeltidens bildvärld – Picture Library. (in Swedish)
8. Dan . Ewing. Marketing Art in Antwerp, 1460–1560: Our Lady's Pand . The Art Bulletin. December 1990. 72. 4. 558–584. 10.2307/3045762 . 3045762.