Jan van Wavere
Encyclopedia
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
s (also called retable
Retable
A retable is a framed altarpiece, raised slightly above the back of the altar or communion table, on which are placed the cross, ceremonial candlesticks and other ornaments....
s), mainly produced in the Brabantine
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
towns of Antwerp, Brussels and Mechelen
Mechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
. During the
15th–16th century, over 1000 altarpieces were traded and exported to many European countries. 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
St. Nicholas' Church, Tallinn
St. Nicholas' Church is a medieval church in Tallinn, Estonia. It is dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron of the fishermen and sailors. Originally built in the 13th century, it was partially destroyed in Soviet Bombing of Tallinn in World War II...
) 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.- Altarpiece of Church of the Order of Teutonic KnightsDeutschordenskirche (Vienna)The Church of Saint Elisabeth of Hungary , also known as Church of the Teutonic Order , is the mother church of the Teutonic Order, a German-based Roman Catholic religious order formed at the end of the 12th century...
(ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, 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)
- - Created in MechelenMechelenMechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
- - Date: 1515
- Altarpiece of the Jäder Church (Jäder, Sweden)
- - Executed in the workshop of Jan Borman in Brussels (see Dutch Wikipedia Jan Borreman de Oude)
- - Artists: Jan Van ConinxlooJan van ConinxlooJan van Coninxloo or van Coninxlo, also known as Jan II or Jan the Younger, was born at Brussels in 1489 , but nothing is known of the details of his career. His father, who bore the same christian name, had another son, Pieter van Coninxlo: both were painters...
(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)