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Lot Essay
The discovery of the present marble group in the foyer of a private house in Paris represents an important addition to the known oeuvre of the Flemish sculptor Jan van Delen (died 1703) because it is clear that, despite the lack of firm documentary evidence, it is the lost group of Charity which once formed part of the sculptural ensemble of the Thurn und Taxis chapel in the church of Notre Dame du Sablon in Brussels. Originally one of four allegorical groups that adorned niches in the corners of the chapel, two groups were removed, probably during the turmoil of the Napoleonic wars, and have been missing ever since.
The creation of the sumptuous Thurn und Taxis chapel, described in the recent exhibition on Flemish baroque sculpture as 'one of the most beautiful baroque ensembles to exist in the country' ('un des plus beaux ensembles baroque subsistant dans le pays'; Baroque Devoilé, op. cit., p. 77) was part of a conscious attempt on the part of the Thurn und Taxis family to elevate their social standing. Hugely wealthy due to their monopoly of the postal services in the Holy Roman Empire since the 16th century, the family was actually from the lower nobility. They had been made counts as recently as 1624, but Lamoral II, Count of Tassis (1621-1677) had even greater social ambitions (Lock, op. cit., pp. 205, 216).
In 1650 he obtained permission to change his name to Thurn und Taxis (or de la Tour et Tassis) in recognition of his descent from the more important della Torre family, and he began a programme of building which included the renovation of the family funerary chapel in Brussels. Although details of the commission are somewhat confused, it appears that the original design for the chapel was entrusted to Lucas Faydherbe in 1651 (ibid, p. 212). The result was a lavish octagonal chapel and anti-chamber decorated with sombre black Belgian marble and enlivened by white sculptures by Jerome Duquesnoy, Gabriel Grupello, Jan van Delen and Mathieu van Beveren. Among these were four allegorical groups of Faith, Hope, Truth and Charity, executed circa 1673-78. Faith and Hope were both by Grupello whereas Truth and Charity were executed by Jan van Delen, the pupil and son-in-law of Lucas Faydherbe.
At some point the groups of Hope and Charity were removed. According to de Bruyn, who was writing in 1872, this occurred 'shortly after the second French invasion' ('peu de temps après la seconde invasion française'; op. cit., p. 178) without clarifying what this invasion was or who was responsible. Kulturmann states, confusingly, that they were removed between 1772 and 1778 'at the time of the French invasion' (op. cit., p. 239) and 'in the aftermath of the French Revolution' (ibid, p. 51) but gives no source for either. In 1840, the historian Goethals writes movingly of the group of Charity by describing it thus: 'Hope is conceived spiritually, but much inferior to the Charity, the most perfect of the four. This latter is of a beautiful character: conception, execution, everything is worthy of praise; the ensemble is admirable, and the details are interesting; the expression is real, that of nature itself' ('L'Espérance est spirituellement pensée, mais bien inferieure à la Charité, la plus parfaite des quatre. Celle-ci est d'un beau caractère: pensée, exécution, tout y est digne d'éloge: l'ensemble est admirable, et les détails sont intéressants; l'expression est vraie, c'est celle de la nature même'; Goethals, op. cit., p. 247). His description would suggest the group was still in place at the time of publication, but it has been pointed out that many of the histories and travel books at the time merely quoted earlier works without ackowledging the source. If this was true in the case of Goethals, then it might be that the group had already been removed by 1840. Certainly it is known that when the chapel and crypt were restored in the mid 19th century there was evidence that the crypt had been ransacked by the 'sans culottes' at the end of the preceding century (de Bruyn, op. cit., p. 180), and it would make sense that the two marble groups were removed at that time.
Without an engraving or detailed description of van Delen's group of Charity, how can one be sure that the present lot is the one missing from the Thurn und Taxis chapel? Compositionally, the group conforms with the remaining two marbles: a seated female figure with her legs extending to one side, accompanied by one or more children. And in their original positions (Truth has been moved to the niche intended for Faith so there is not an empty space facing the viewer as he enters the door of the chapel), each of the female figures turns her legs away from the central axis of the chapel. If the existing group of Truth and the present marble were placed in their original locations, they would perfectly mirror each other, as was certainly the artist's intention. In addition, the present group is stylistically consistent with other known works by van Delen and, significantly, it is almost exactly the same dimensions as the remaining groups in the chapel.
Much as the history and re-discovery of the group might fascinate us, it is nevertheless important not to lose sight of the inherent beauty of this work by van Delen. The interaction of the three figures, especially between the adult woman and the little girl at her knee, conveys a tenderness that is entirely appropriate for the subject. The complexity of the drapery contrasts beautifully with the voluptuous passages of skin, and the suggestive softness of the carving evident in the adult woman's face and hair shows van Delen's confidence as a sculptor. Although less well-known today than his co-worker at the chapel, Gabriel Grupello, the present lot is evidence that van Delen fully justified his inclusion in one of the most important sculptural ensembles created in 17th century Flanders. Sadly, Lamoral von Thurn und Taxis did not live to enjoy the fruits of his campaign for social promotion, but his son Eugen was made an Imperial prince in 1695.
The creation of the sumptuous Thurn und Taxis chapel, described in the recent exhibition on Flemish baroque sculpture as 'one of the most beautiful baroque ensembles to exist in the country' ('un des plus beaux ensembles baroque subsistant dans le pays'; Baroque Devoilé, op. cit., p. 77) was part of a conscious attempt on the part of the Thurn und Taxis family to elevate their social standing. Hugely wealthy due to their monopoly of the postal services in the Holy Roman Empire since the 16th century, the family was actually from the lower nobility. They had been made counts as recently as 1624, but Lamoral II, Count of Tassis (1621-1677) had even greater social ambitions (Lock, op. cit., pp. 205, 216).
In 1650 he obtained permission to change his name to Thurn und Taxis (or de la Tour et Tassis) in recognition of his descent from the more important della Torre family, and he began a programme of building which included the renovation of the family funerary chapel in Brussels. Although details of the commission are somewhat confused, it appears that the original design for the chapel was entrusted to Lucas Faydherbe in 1651 (ibid, p. 212). The result was a lavish octagonal chapel and anti-chamber decorated with sombre black Belgian marble and enlivened by white sculptures by Jerome Duquesnoy, Gabriel Grupello, Jan van Delen and Mathieu van Beveren. Among these were four allegorical groups of Faith, Hope, Truth and Charity, executed circa 1673-78. Faith and Hope were both by Grupello whereas Truth and Charity were executed by Jan van Delen, the pupil and son-in-law of Lucas Faydherbe.
At some point the groups of Hope and Charity were removed. According to de Bruyn, who was writing in 1872, this occurred 'shortly after the second French invasion' ('peu de temps après la seconde invasion française'; op. cit., p. 178) without clarifying what this invasion was or who was responsible. Kulturmann states, confusingly, that they were removed between 1772 and 1778 'at the time of the French invasion' (op. cit., p. 239) and 'in the aftermath of the French Revolution' (ibid, p. 51) but gives no source for either. In 1840, the historian Goethals writes movingly of the group of Charity by describing it thus: 'Hope is conceived spiritually, but much inferior to the Charity, the most perfect of the four. This latter is of a beautiful character: conception, execution, everything is worthy of praise; the ensemble is admirable, and the details are interesting; the expression is real, that of nature itself' ('L'Espérance est spirituellement pensée, mais bien inferieure à la Charité, la plus parfaite des quatre. Celle-ci est d'un beau caractère: pensée, exécution, tout y est digne d'éloge: l'ensemble est admirable, et les détails sont intéressants; l'expression est vraie, c'est celle de la nature même'; Goethals, op. cit., p. 247). His description would suggest the group was still in place at the time of publication, but it has been pointed out that many of the histories and travel books at the time merely quoted earlier works without ackowledging the source. If this was true in the case of Goethals, then it might be that the group had already been removed by 1840. Certainly it is known that when the chapel and crypt were restored in the mid 19th century there was evidence that the crypt had been ransacked by the 'sans culottes' at the end of the preceding century (de Bruyn, op. cit., p. 180), and it would make sense that the two marble groups were removed at that time.
Without an engraving or detailed description of van Delen's group of Charity, how can one be sure that the present lot is the one missing from the Thurn und Taxis chapel? Compositionally, the group conforms with the remaining two marbles: a seated female figure with her legs extending to one side, accompanied by one or more children. And in their original positions (Truth has been moved to the niche intended for Faith so there is not an empty space facing the viewer as he enters the door of the chapel), each of the female figures turns her legs away from the central axis of the chapel. If the existing group of Truth and the present marble were placed in their original locations, they would perfectly mirror each other, as was certainly the artist's intention. In addition, the present group is stylistically consistent with other known works by van Delen and, significantly, it is almost exactly the same dimensions as the remaining groups in the chapel.
Much as the history and re-discovery of the group might fascinate us, it is nevertheless important not to lose sight of the inherent beauty of this work by van Delen. The interaction of the three figures, especially between the adult woman and the little girl at her knee, conveys a tenderness that is entirely appropriate for the subject. The complexity of the drapery contrasts beautifully with the voluptuous passages of skin, and the suggestive softness of the carving evident in the adult woman's face and hair shows van Delen's confidence as a sculptor. Although less well-known today than his co-worker at the chapel, Gabriel Grupello, the present lot is evidence that van Delen fully justified his inclusion in one of the most important sculptural ensembles created in 17th century Flanders. Sadly, Lamoral von Thurn und Taxis did not live to enjoy the fruits of his campaign for social promotion, but his son Eugen was made an Imperial prince in 1695.