Wolfgang de Smet (1617–1685) was a Flemish painter, who was active in Leuven in the mid-17th century. He is mainly known for his landscapes, architecture scenes and history paintings.[1]
Hardly anything is known with certainty about this painter whose earliest and latest known paintings are dated respectively 1640 and 1667.[2][3] He was likely born in Leuven in 1617.[4] His father was Hendrik de Smet, a history and portrait painter born in Leuven c. 1575. Hendrik de Smet became the city painter ('stadtsmeesterschilder') of Leuven in 1627. This position carried with it the responsibility for the decoration of the procession that was held each year on the first Sunday of the kermesse. Hendrik de Smet had various pupils including his son Wolfgang. Wolfgang is known to have worked with his father in 1637.
Wolfgang de Smet married Anna Stockelis in 1645.[5] The couple had various children among whom a son born in 1651 was named after his father. His son named Hendrik, born in 1655, was also a painter.[6]
He was active in Leuven where he likely died in 1685.[4]
Workedit
View of the Great Market Square in Leuven
Currently, only three paintings are attributed with a certain level of certainty to Wolfgang de Smet. The three paintings are part of the collection of M - Museum Leuven. The large Miracle of the Holy Sacrament dated 1640 represents many persons dressed in period dress who witness the miracle of the Holy Sacrament in a church with a rich Renaissance interior.[2] The representation is characterized by its lavish detail.
The second painting dated between 1665 and 1667 represents a bird-eye view of the city centre of Leuven with details of the City Hall, the St. Peter's Church and the Great Market Square of Leuven. It includes some details of the church that were never built but only designed.[7]
The last known painting dated 1667 depicts the interior of the St. Peter's Church of Leuven in very great detail. It is an important record of the rich interior decoration of the church in the 17th century. It shows that almost every spot of the church was used and that all the chapels and pillars were covered with religious works of art and objects of worship.[8]
His work shows similarity with that of the painter of church interiors Hendrik van Steenwijk II. His works reveal a good understanding of perspective and colouring. The figures are painted with dynamism and expression.[5]
^ abHet Mirakel van het Heilig Sacrament at Erfgoedplus (in Dutch)
^Jan Crab, The Great Copper Pelican in the Choir: The Lectern from the Church of St. Peter in Louvain, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Vol. 26, No. 10 (Jun., 1968), pp. 401-406
^ abBankgebouw Tafelrond (ID: 42182) at De Inventaris van het Bouwkundig Erfgoed (in Dutch)
^ abAcadémie royale des sciences, des lettres et des beaux-arts de Belgique, Publisher: M. Hayez, 1889, p. 476-480 (in French)
^Ars sacra antiqua: tentoonstelling ingericht door het Stadsbestuur van Leuven, 4 augustus – 4 november 1962, Leuven, Belgium, Stedelijk Museum, 1962, p.22 (in Dutch)
^Lutgarde Bessemans, De musea in Leuven. Het museum Vander Kelen-Mertens Een museum in beweging, Vlaanderen. Jaargang 44. Christelijk Vlaams Kunstenaarsverbond, Tielt 1995, p. 25 (in Dutch)
External linksedit
Media related to Wolfgang de Smet at Wikimedia Commons
December 15, 2023
wolfgang, smet, 1617, 1685, flemish, painter, active, leuven, 17th, century, mainly, known, landscapes, architecture, scenes, history, paintings, interior, peter, church, leuven, contents, life, work, references, external, linkslife, edithardly, anything, know. Wolfgang de Smet 1617 1685 was a Flemish painter who was active in Leuven in the mid 17th century He is mainly known for his landscapes architecture scenes and history paintings 1 Interior of the St Peter s Church Leuven Contents 1 Life 2 Work 3 References 4 External linksLife editHardly anything is known with certainty about this painter whose earliest and latest known paintings are dated respectively 1640 and 1667 2 3 He was likely born in Leuven in 1617 4 His father was Hendrik de Smet a history and portrait painter born in Leuven c 1575 Hendrik de Smet became the city painter stadtsmeesterschilder of Leuven in 1627 This position carried with it the responsibility for the decoration of the procession that was held each year on the first Sunday of the kermesse Hendrik de Smet had various pupils including his son Wolfgang Wolfgang is known to have worked with his father in 1637 Wolfgang de Smet married Anna Stockelis in 1645 5 The couple had various children among whom a son born in 1651 was named after his father His son named Hendrik born in 1655 was also a painter 6 He was active in Leuven where he likely died in 1685 4 Work edit nbsp View of the Great Market Square in LeuvenCurrently only three paintings are attributed with a certain level of certainty to Wolfgang de Smet The three paintings are part of the collection of M Museum Leuven The large Miracle of the Holy Sacrament dated 1640 represents many persons dressed in period dress who witness the miracle of the Holy Sacrament in a church with a rich Renaissance interior 2 The representation is characterized by its lavish detail The second painting dated between 1665 and 1667 represents a bird eye view of the city centre of Leuven with details of the City Hall the St Peter s Church and the Great Market Square of Leuven It includes some details of the church that were never built but only designed 7 The last known painting dated 1667 depicts the interior of the St Peter s Church of Leuven in very great detail It is an important record of the rich interior decoration of the church in the 17th century It shows that almost every spot of the church was used and that all the chapels and pillars were covered with religious works of art and objects of worship 8 His work shows similarity with that of the painter of church interiors Hendrik van Steenwijk II His works reveal a good understanding of perspective and colouring The figures are painted with dynamism and expression 5 References edit Wolfgang de Smet at the Netherlands Institute for Art History in Dutch a b Het Mirakel van het Heilig Sacrament at Erfgoedplus in Dutch Jan Crab The Great Copper Pelican in the Choir The Lectern from the Church of St Peter in Louvain The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin Vol 26 No 10 Jun 1968 pp 401 406 a b Bankgebouw Tafelrond ID 42182 at De Inventaris van het Bouwkundig Erfgoed in Dutch a b Academie royale des sciences des lettres et des beaux arts de Belgique Publisher M Hayez 1889 p 476 480 in French De Smet at Geneanet Ars sacra antiqua tentoonstelling ingericht door het Stadsbestuur van Leuven 4 augustus 4 november 1962 Leuven Belgium Stedelijk Museum 1962 p 22 in Dutch Lutgarde Bessemans De musea in Leuven Het museum Vander Kelen Mertens Een museum in beweging Vlaanderen Jaargang 44 Christelijk Vlaams Kunstenaarsverbond Tielt 1995 p 25 in Dutch External links edit nbsp Media related to Wolfgang de Smet at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wolfgang de Smet amp oldid 1025312740, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
