Lot Essay
Caspar Ravelesca, born in 1605, was a latinised name for Kasper Raveel, vice-burgomaster of the important cosmopolitan harbour Antwerp. The burgomaster was Nicolaas Rockox (Antwerp 1560-Roosendaal 1640), a personal friend of Pieter Paul Rubens. Rockox was elected eight times as Lord Mayor of the thriving city of Antwerp. He was very active in the Flemish art circles. The Rockox mansion is a museum and open to the public in the Keizerstraat, Antwerp, Belgium.
There is a theory which discloses the name of Franciscus Raphelengius (Frans van Ravelinghen, Lannoy 1539-Leiden 1597) in connection to this armorial jug! He worked for the very important Antwerp printer Christoffel Plantijn and even married his daughter in 1565. He was an extremely erudite gentleman and a great friend and admirer of Nicolaas Rockox.
Being a Calvinist he was forced to emigrate to Holland whereby he went to Delft and Leiden, where he got in touch with the white Delft potters. In 1586 he even became professor of the Arabic language at Leiden University, the first European university, with the Sorbonne, in Paris to teach this language.
Since two Saints are depicted on the white Delft armorial jug, it would be hard to believe that a Calvinist convert would use Catholic Saints to adorn his armorial jug. We opt for Kasper Raveel
See illustration
There is a theory which discloses the name of Franciscus Raphelengius (Frans van Ravelinghen, Lannoy 1539-Leiden 1597) in connection to this armorial jug! He worked for the very important Antwerp printer Christoffel Plantijn and even married his daughter in 1565. He was an extremely erudite gentleman and a great friend and admirer of Nicolaas Rockox.
Being a Calvinist he was forced to emigrate to Holland whereby he went to Delft and Leiden, where he got in touch with the white Delft potters. In 1586 he even became professor of the Arabic language at Leiden University, the first European university, with the Sorbonne, in Paris to teach this language.
Since two Saints are depicted on the white Delft armorial jug, it would be hard to believe that a Calvinist convert would use Catholic Saints to adorn his armorial jug. We opt for Kasper Raveel
See illustration