Altarpiece of the Guild of the Old Arbalest
The Archers' Guild Altarpiece (Dutch - altaarstuk van de gilde van de oude voetboog) is a c.1590 painting by Maerten de Vos, now in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. Around 1585 Alessandro Farnese succeeded in reintroducing Catholicism to the Southern Netherlands. Partly because he was in favour of guild altars, the Oude Voetboog archers' guild in Antwerp commissioned the work from de Vos.
Altarpiece of the Guild of the Old Arbalest
Maerten de Vos · Ophelia2 · Public domain
- Period
- 1590.
- Region
- Belgium.
- Related practice
- oil paint and panel.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
The Archers' Guild Altarpiece (Dutch - altaarstuk van de gilde van de oude voetboog) is a c.1590 painting by Maerten de Vos, now in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. Around 1585 Alessandro Farnese succeeded in reintroducing Catholicism to the Southern Netherlands. Partly because he was in favour of guild altars, the Oude Voetboog archers' guild in Antwerp commissioned the work from de Vos.
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wikidata · Q21614171
In this article
Identity
Identity
The central panel shows Christ Triumphant, trampling a dragon, a skull and a scorpion (symbols of sin, death and heresy respectively) and with two angels holding laurel leaves over his head. The guild's patron saint George is shown at Christ's right hand, with the princess of Silene at Christ's left hand - she also acts as a personification of Ecclesia or the Church by holding a lamb. At Christ's feet are Saint Peter and Paul the Apostle, holding Bibles open at Acts 2.17-24 and Romans 6.8-14 respectively. The side panels show two scenes from the life of Saint George, the baptism of the king of Silene by Eusebius of Nicomedia and the king of Silene building a church in honour of Mary. The reverses of the side panels show St George and the princess of Silene returning to the city with the defeated dragon.
It is recorded as the work of Maerten de Vos. Materials recorded for it are oil paint and panel. It is associated with Belgium. The record gives 1590 as its date of establishment or first appearance. Recorded genres are religious art. It is recorded in the collection of Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, Vlaamse Kunstcollectie and Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal.
Altarpiece of the Guild of the Old Arbalest is classed in the genre religious art. Recorded as triptych. Associated with Belgium.
Chronology
Dated record
Chronology
The full dated record · 2 entries
1590
Altarpiece of the Guild of the Old Arbalest first recorded.
1590
Altarpiece of the Guild of the Old Arbalest was established or created in 1590.
Primary material
Context
The circumstances in which Altarpiece of the Guild of the Old Arbalest stands. Located at Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. Held in Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal. Arbalest carries the. Recorded with a height of 345.6. Established or created in 1590. Held in Vlaamse Kunstcollectie. Recorded as made of oil paint. Attributed to Maerten de Vos. Situated in Belgium.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Topstukken, 2015.
- 2.Siska Beele, in Vouwblad van de Educatieve dienst Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen. De contrareformatie in Antwerpen, 1988.
- 3.Koninklijk Muzeum van Schoone Kunsten. Beschrijvend Catalogus. I. Oude meesters, 1905, p. 322-324.
- 4.Catalogue du Musée d'Anvers. Publié par le Conseil d'administration de l'académie Royale des Beaux-Arts, 1845, nr. 150.
- 5.Louvre, Cab.d'Est. inv.nr. 20600; Koninklijk Muzeum van Schoone Kunsten. Beschrijvend Catalogus. I. Oude meesters, 1905, p. 323.
- 6.Koninklijk Muzeum van Schoone Kunsten. Beschrijvend Catalogus. I. Oude meesters, 1905, p. 322-323; Catalogue du Musée d'Anvers. Publié par le Conseil d'administration de l'académie Royale des Beaux-Arts, 1845, nr. 150.
- 7.Koninklijk Muzeum van Schoone Kunsten. Beschrijvend Catalogus. I. Oude meesters, 1905, p. 323; Siska Beele, in Vouwblad van de Educatieve dienst Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen. De contrareformatie in Antwerpen, 1988; Catalogue du Musée d'Anvers. Publié par le Conseil d'administration de l'académie Royale des Beaux-Arts, 1845, nr. 150.
- 8.Louvre. Cab.d'Est. inv. nr. 20605; Koninklijk Muzeum van Schoone Kunsten. Beschrijvend Catalogus. I. Oude meesters, 1905, p. 323.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q21614171: Altarpiece of the Guild of the Old ArbalestWikidata
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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