Jean-Baptiste Bethune (architect)
Encyclopedia
Jean-Baptiste Bethune was a Belgian architect, artisan and designer who played a pivotal role in the Belgian and Catholic Gothic Revival movement. He was called by some the "Pugin of Belgium
".
in 1821 in a wealthy Flemish
family of French
origin. He and his relatives were fervent Catholics, and many were active in politics and civil service. The family which was originally called "Bethune" was in 1845 granted nobility
by the Belgian King
and added the preposition "de" (some of them took the name "de Béthune-Sully"), in the 20th century, to underline their noble status. However, this great architect never used the particule.
Bethune first studied law at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
and later embarked on a career in politics civil service at the provincial council of West Flanders in Bruges
. He received his basic artistic training at the "Academie voor Schone Kunsten" in Kortrijk
(his teachers were L. Verhaegen and Jules Victor Génisson). Paul Lauters
introduced him to landscape painting while the sculptor C. H. Geerts (1807–1855) - himself a pioneer of the Gothic Revival style - made him familiar with sculpture. In 1842-1843 and in 1850 he visited England and met Augustus Welby Pugin (1812–1852) the advocate of the Gothic Revival in England and an enthusiast Catholic as well.
The encounter with Pugin and his creations further stimulated Bethune's interest in architecture and applied arts. In imitation of Pugin and his followers, Bethune developed the idea that an artistic revival of the arts of the "Christian" world of the Middle-Ages could inspire a new profoundly Christian/Catholic society. At home Bethune was encouraged by canon C. Carton to become involved in the creation of genuinely ‘Christian Art’. Gradually he began to make designs himself. In 1854 he even set up his own stained-glass workshop, advised by J. Hardman (1812–67), Pugin’s stained-glass manufacturer.
In 1862 he was a co-founder of the Saint-Luke schools. These schools were opened as a catholic counterpart to the official Academies and trained architects in the religious spirit of the Gothic
tradition. The first permanent Saint-Luke school opened in Ghent
in 1863. These schools also offered an education for artisans that could work with stained glass, wood carving, painting, gold- and silverwork... The aim was to train craftsmen that could cope with the overall decoration of a newly build, fully decorated, Gothic church. As a teacher and as a patron of the archaeological society of the "Gilde de Saint-Thomas et de Saint-Luc" founded in 1863, Bethune had a decisive influence on the evolution of the Gothic Revival style in Belgium. Among those he taught or influenced were the architects Joris Helleputte and Louis Cloquet. Abroad, he maintained contacts and was appreciated by contemporaries such as Pierre Cuypers
, Edward Welby Pugin, August Reichensperger
and Edward von Steinle.
In his architectural creations Bethune adopted the formal vocabulary of the typical late medieval brick architecture of Flanders
, and specifically Bruges
. Through his influence and teaching he introduced this stance by many of his followers.
This, together with his strong Catholic inspiration and his association with the Gothic Revival movement in England, marks the difference between his school and the Neo-Gothic architecture advocated in Belgium by the Academies and the followers of Viollet-le-Duc. The latter school was more interested in restorations, while their new creations were mostly inspired by the French and Brabantic
Gothic architecture
. In general their creations were more inspired by a civil romanticism and lacked the religious and social idealism of Bethune and his Saint-Luke schools.
Apart from architectural projects his very extensive oeuvre includes designs for practically all the plastic and decorative arts. From Belgium his designs found their way to most other European countries. The quality of his work can best be judged from his integrated building projects, which combine all forms of art, such as Loppem Castle, the complex in Vivenkapelle (including a church, a presbytery and a convent school) and the large complex of Maredsous Abbey
.
Bethune’s designs show a strong architectural, archaeological and didactic character. With his stained-glass windows (f.e. in the cathedrals of Bruges
, Ghent
, Antwerp, and Tournai
), his mural paintings, (f.e. in the castle of Maaltebrugge, 1862–1864), and his mosaics (Aachen Cathedral
1872) he contributed significantly to the revival of these art forms.
Among his most important realisations as a designer of gold- and silverwork are the Belgian Tiara
offered to pope Pius IX in 1871, the Charles-the-Good
Shrine in St. Salvator’s Cathedral in Bruges
(1883), the Saint Lambert Shrine in the St. Paul’s Cathedral in Liège
(1884).
Another part of the family succeeded in adding officially 'Sully' to their name. There is however no connection between them and the French princely family Bethune-Sully.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
".
Life
He was born in KortrijkKortrijk
Kortrijk ; , ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders...
in 1821 in a wealthy Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
family of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
origin. He and his relatives were fervent Catholics, and many were active in politics and civil service. The family which was originally called "Bethune" was in 1845 granted nobility
Belgian nobility
In the Kingdom of Belgium there are at the moment approximately 1,300 noble families. Some 20,000 individuals are titled. The noble lineage of only ca. 400 families dates back to the 17th century. As Belgium is a democratic constitutional monarchy there are no legal privileges attached to bearing a...
by the Belgian King
Monarchy of Belgium
Monarchy in Belgium is constitutional and popular in nature. The hereditary monarch, at present Albert II, is the head of state and is officially called King of the Belgians .-Origins:...
and added the preposition "de" (some of them took the name "de Béthune-Sully"), in the 20th century, to underline their noble status. However, this great architect never used the particule.
Bethune first studied law at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is a Dutch-speaking university in Flanders, Belgium.It is located at the centre of the historic town of Leuven, and is a prominent part of the city, home to the university since 1425...
and later embarked on a career in politics civil service at the provincial council of West Flanders in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
. He received his basic artistic training at the "Academie voor Schone Kunsten" in Kortrijk
Kortrijk
Kortrijk ; , ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders...
(his teachers were L. Verhaegen and Jules Victor Génisson). Paul Lauters
Paul Lauters
Paul Lauters or Paul Lauteri , was a Belgian printmaker, illustrator and painter. Lauters studied under the sculptor Charles Malaise at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts from 1820 to 1823. From 1823 he worked for the Gouban & Dewasme-Pletinckx lithographic company at the same time as...
introduced him to landscape painting while the sculptor C. H. Geerts (1807–1855) - himself a pioneer of the Gothic Revival style - made him familiar with sculpture. In 1842-1843 and in 1850 he visited England and met Augustus Welby Pugin (1812–1852) the advocate of the Gothic Revival in England and an enthusiast Catholic as well.
The encounter with Pugin and his creations further stimulated Bethune's interest in architecture and applied arts. In imitation of Pugin and his followers, Bethune developed the idea that an artistic revival of the arts of the "Christian" world of the Middle-Ages could inspire a new profoundly Christian/Catholic society. At home Bethune was encouraged by canon C. Carton to become involved in the creation of genuinely ‘Christian Art’. Gradually he began to make designs himself. In 1854 he even set up his own stained-glass workshop, advised by J. Hardman (1812–67), Pugin’s stained-glass manufacturer.
In 1862 he was a co-founder of the Saint-Luke schools. These schools were opened as a catholic counterpart to the official Academies and trained architects in the religious spirit of the Gothic
Gothic art
Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that developed in France out of Romanesque art in the mid-12th century, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, but took over art more completely north of the Alps, never quite effacing more classical...
tradition. The first permanent Saint-Luke school opened in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
in 1863. These schools also offered an education for artisans that could work with stained glass, wood carving, painting, gold- and silverwork... The aim was to train craftsmen that could cope with the overall decoration of a newly build, fully decorated, Gothic church. As a teacher and as a patron of the archaeological society of the "Gilde de Saint-Thomas et de Saint-Luc" founded in 1863, Bethune had a decisive influence on the evolution of the Gothic Revival style in Belgium. Among those he taught or influenced were the architects Joris Helleputte and Louis Cloquet. Abroad, he maintained contacts and was appreciated by contemporaries such as Pierre Cuypers
Pierre Cuypers
Petrus Josephus Hubertus Cuypers was a Dutch architect. His name is most frequently associated with the Amsterdam Central Station and the Rijksmuseum , both in Amsterdam. More representative for his oeuvre, however, are numerous churches, of which he designed more than 100...
, Edward Welby Pugin, August Reichensperger
August Reichensperger
August Reichensperger was a German politician from the city of Koblenz.Reichensperger studied law and entered government service, becoming counsellor to the court of appeal at Cologne in 1849...
and Edward von Steinle.
Work
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, and specifically Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
. Through his influence and teaching he introduced this stance by many of his followers.
This, together with his strong Catholic inspiration and his association with the Gothic Revival movement in England, marks the difference between his school and the Neo-Gothic architecture advocated in Belgium by the Academies and the followers of Viollet-le-Duc. The latter school was more interested in restorations, while their new creations were mostly inspired by the French and Brabantic
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...
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
. In general their creations were more inspired by a civil romanticism and lacked the religious and social idealism of Bethune and his Saint-Luke schools.
Apart from architectural projects his very extensive oeuvre includes designs for practically all the plastic and decorative arts. From Belgium his designs found their way to most other European countries. The quality of his work can best be judged from his integrated building projects, which combine all forms of art, such as Loppem Castle, the complex in Vivenkapelle (including a church, a presbytery and a convent school) and the large complex of Maredsous Abbey
Maredsous Abbey
Maredsous Abbey is a Benedictine monastery at Denée near Namur in Belgium. It is a member of the Annunciation Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation.-Foundation:...
.
Bethune’s designs show a strong architectural, archaeological and didactic character. With his stained-glass windows (f.e. in the cathedrals of Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, Antwerp, and Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
), his mural paintings, (f.e. in the castle of Maaltebrugge, 1862–1864), and his mosaics (Aachen Cathedral
Aachen Cathedral
Aachen Cathedral, frequently referred to as the "Imperial Cathedral" , is a Roman Catholic church in Aachen, Germany. The church is the oldest cathedral in northern Europe and was known as the "Royal Church of St. Mary at Aachen" during the Middle Ages...
1872) he contributed significantly to the revival of these art forms.
Among his most important realisations as a designer of gold- and silverwork are the Belgian Tiara
Belgian Tiara
The Belgian Tiara is one of the most unusual Papal Tiaras in existence, largely due to its design.The Tiara was donated by the Ladies of the Royal Court of the King of the Belgians on June 18, 1871 to Pope Pius IX...
offered to pope Pius IX in 1871, the Charles-the-Good
Charles I, Count of Flanders
Blessed Charles the Good was Count of Flanders from 1119 to 1127. He is most remembered for his murder and its aftermath.-History:...
Shrine in St. Salvator’s Cathedral in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
(1883), the Saint Lambert Shrine in the St. Paul’s Cathedral in Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
(1884).
List of works
Architecture
All architectural projects include the designs for decoration and furnishings.- Loppem Castle, 1859-1862.
- Church, presbytery and schools in Vivenkapelle near DammeDammeDamme is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, six kilometres northeast of Brugge . The municipality comprises the city of Damme proper and the towns of Hoeke, Lapscheure, Moerkerke, Oostkerke, Sijsele, Vivenkapelle, and Sint-Rita. On 1 January 2006, the municipality had...
, 1860-1870. - Maredsous AbbeyMaredsous AbbeyMaredsous Abbey is a Benedictine monastery at Denée near Namur in Belgium. It is a member of the Annunciation Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation.-Foundation:...
, 1872-1889. - Church Sacré Coeur of "Le Trieu" in CourrièreAssesseAssesse is a Belgian municipality located in the Walloon province of Namur. It is composed of the villages of Assesse, Courrière, Crupet, Florée, Maillen, Sart-Bernard and Sorinne-la-Longue. On January 1, 2006, Assesse had a total population of 6,252...
, 1872-1873. - Church of the beguinageBéguinageA béguinage or begijnhof is a collection of small buildings used by Beguines. These were various lay sisterhoods of the Roman Catholic Church, founded in the 13th century in the Low Countries, comprising religious women who sought to serve God without retiring from the world.-Description:A...
of Sint-AmandsbergSint-AmandsbergSint-Amandsberg is a sub-municipality of Ghent, Belgium. The municipality was formed in 1872 after splitting from Oostakker.During the First World War, on 7 June 1915, the German airschip LZ37 crashed after being destroyed by Reginald Warneford. A street was named Reginald Warnefordstreet in...
near GhentGhentGhent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, 1874. - Chapel of Our Lady at the Jesuit Convent 'Oude Abdij" in DrongenDrongenDrongen is a submunicipality of the city of Ghent .Drongen is divided into three parishes: Drongen, Luchteren and Baarle....
, 1877. - Convent of the "Clarisses de l'Epeule" in RoubaixRoubaixRoubaix is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is located between the cities of Lille and Tourcoing.The Gare de Roubaix railway station offers connections to Lille, Tourcoing, Antwerp, Ostend and Paris.-Culture:...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... - Ecole de Saint-Luc (Saint-Luke school) in TournaiTournaiTournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
- Church Saint-Joseph in RoubaixRoubaixRoubaix is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is located between the cities of Lille and Tourcoing.The Gare de Roubaix railway station offers connections to Lille, Tourcoing, Antwerp, Ostend and Paris.-Culture:...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... - Church of FontenoyFontenoyFontenoy may refer to:*Battle of Fontenoy *Battle of Fontenay *Fontenoy by Liam Mac Cóil-Places:Belgium:*Fontenoy, a village in the municipality of Antoing, BelgiumSeveral communes in France:*Fontenoy, in the Aisne département...
Designs for applied arts
- Design for the Belgian TiaraBelgian TiaraThe Belgian Tiara is one of the most unusual Papal Tiaras in existence, largely due to its design.The Tiara was donated by the Ladies of the Royal Court of the King of the Belgians on June 18, 1871 to Pope Pius IX...
donated to Pope Pius IXPope Pius IXBlessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
in 1871. - Design for the mosaicMosaicMosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
decoration of the dome of Aachen CathedralAachen CathedralAachen Cathedral, frequently referred to as the "Imperial Cathedral" , is a Roman Catholic church in Aachen, Germany. The church is the oldest cathedral in northern Europe and was known as the "Royal Church of St. Mary at Aachen" during the Middle Ages...
(executed by the workshop of Antonio SalviatiAntonio SalviatiAntonio Salviati was an Italian glass manufacturer and founder of the Salviati family firm.A native of Vicenza, Salviati was a lawyer who got interested in glasswork after becoming involved in restorations being done on the mosaics of Saint Mark's Cathedral in Venice...
), 1879-1881. - Funeral monument of Monseigneur Gravez, bishop of Namur, in NamurNamur (city)Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
- Funeral monument of the Lefèvre family in Sclayn
- Design for a Shrine to contain the relics of Charles I, Count of FlandersCharles I, Count of FlandersBlessed Charles the Good was Count of Flanders from 1119 to 1127. He is most remembered for his murder and its aftermath.-History:...
, in BrugesBrugesBruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
Cathedral, 1883–1885 - Design for the Shrine of Saint Lambert in the Cathedral of LiègeLiègeLiège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, 1884. - Church of Dinant: Main altar and other religious furniture.
- Interior decoration in the Castles of, DenéeDenée (Belgium)Denée is a Belgian village, since 1977 part of the municipality of Anhée in the province of Namur.Maredsous Abbey is located nearby.-Trivia:...
, GesvesGesvesGesves is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur. This municipality contains the town of Gesves, as well as the villages of Faulx-Les-Tombes, Haltinne, Mozet and Sorée. It also includes the hamlets of Gramptinne, Goyet, Haut-Bois and Strud.On 1 January 2006 the municipality...
and Spontin
Family Name
During his lifetime, Jean Bethune never used the prefix 'de' in his family name. It was no longer in use in the family since the early 18th C. Only after his death, members of the family, including his son Jean-Baptiste (1853–1907) obtained in 1904 the 'de' addition, which was made retroactive into the person of Jean-Baptiste Bethune (1722–1799) and all his descendants. It thus also applied to Jean Bethune. It is therefore acceptable to give his name with or without the prefix, although in their genealogies, the members of the family do not use the prefix regarding ancestors who did not use it in their lifetime.Another part of the family succeeded in adding officially 'Sully' to their name. There is however no connection between them and the French princely family Bethune-Sully.
External links
- http://www.stichtingdebethune.be/ official website of the de Bethune family archive and library