Thomas Quellinus
Encyclopedia
Thomas Quellinus also known, especially in Denmark
, as Thomas Qvellinus, was a Flemish
baroque
sculptor
who worked mainly in Copenhagen
, Denmark
. He is especially known for the production of grandiose and sumptuous memorial chapels
, sepulchral monument
and epitaph
s, which can be found in churches throughout Denmark and northern Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein
area. His chapels and monuments are characteristically dramatically composed, executed in rare, differently coloured types of marble and framed by monumental architectural components.
He was a member of the well-known Quellinus
family of artists from 17th century Antwerp, major center of artistic life then known as "the Florence of the North".
, England
, where he worked with his brother Artus Quellinus III. While in England he married Anna Maria Cocques (Cooques). He remained there until at least January 1688.
at the end of the 1680s to oversee the numerous Scandinavian commissions received in his father’s studio. He arrived in 1689, and supervised the work on the tomb
designed by his father for Field Marshal
Hans Schack (1609-76) in Trinity Church (Trinitatiskirke), Copenhagen
.
In short time he gained a considerable independent reputation as a sculptor in Northern Europe
. The commission to create the Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve monument in Our Lady Church (Vor Frue Kirke), Copenhagen in August 1689 was the catalyst to his extended stay and successful career in Denmark.
Due to the volume and scope of work he produced, starting in 1689 he ran a workshop in Lübeck
, specialized in funerary monuments for Danish and north German patrons. In his workshop he had many students, apprentices and helpers, mainly sculptors from Flanders; among them Just Wiedewelt (father of sculptor Johannes Wiedewelt
, Abraham Breusegem Emanuel Cuekelaere, and probably Andreas Gercken. In order to simply production he was known to have imported some partially carved pieces, especially architectural pieces, from the Netherlands.
Although he was very successful with private commissions, not much of his work came from the royal court. And although he was arguably the land’s leading sculptor, he was never named sculpture to the royal court. Up until 1697 he lived in Aabenraa
, and then he acquired residential property on Norgesgade, now known as Bredgade
, in Copenhagen.
Assistants Breusegem and Cuekelaere executed the sculptures for the altar at Our Saviour’s Church (Vor Frelsers Kirke), Copenhagen according to Quellinus’s sketch in 1697.
On 6 October 1701 Quellinus was one of a group of respected artists to send a petition to King Frederick IV
requesting approval for the formation of an artist society and teaching academy. The others were Hendrick Krock
, Wilchen Riboldt, Jacob Coning
, Otto de Willarts, and Georg Saleman-- all royal artists in service to the court. This was the humble beginning to the formation of the Royal Danish Academy of Art
(Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi) many years later.
After 1701 he regularly visited Antwerp, and was in Belgium in 1704. He received citizenship in Copenhagen as a sculptor on 12 December 1703, along with royal permission to run a commercial enterprise selling lace from Brabant
.
He returned permanently to Antwerp in 1707, and became a master in the city’s Guild of St Luke.
He died in Antwerp, and was buried on 7 September 1709. His widow, Anna Marie, survived him, and it is believed that she continued his workshop’s production for some years with a couple of assistants. She also continued until 1711 the commercial enterprise selling lace.
.
His almost seventeen years in Denmark had a significant impact on the development of Danish sculpture, and especially memorial sculpture. Many of the following generation’s best sculptors were his students.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, as Thomas Qvellinus, was a Flemish
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...
baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
who worked mainly in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. He is especially known for the production of grandiose and sumptuous memorial chapels
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
, sepulchral monument
Sepulchre
The rock-cut tombs in ancient Israel are a group of hundreds of rock-cut tombs constructed in Israel in ancient times. They were cut into the rock, sometimes with elaborate facades and multiple burial chambers. Some are free-standing, but most are caves. Each tomb typically belonged to a...
and epitaph
Epitaph
An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
s, which can be found in churches throughout Denmark and northern Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
area. His chapels and monuments are characteristically dramatically composed, executed in rare, differently coloured types of marble and framed by monumental architectural components.
He was a member of the well-known Quellinus
Quellinus
Quellinus is the surname of a family of Flemish artists, painters and sculptors in the 17th century in Antwerp. Members of the family are:* Erasmus Quellinus I, sculptor, Quellinus is the surname of a family of Flemish artists, painters and sculptors in the 17th century in Antwerp. Members of the...
family of artists from 17th century Antwerp, major center of artistic life then known as "the Florence of the North".
Early life and training
Thomas Quellinus was born in Antwerp to Artus Quellinus II and Anna Maria Gabron, and was baptised on 17 March 1661. He trained in his father’s workshop in the art of sculpturing. After completing his apprenticeship with his father, he went to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he worked with his brother Artus Quellinus III. While in England he married Anna Maria Cocques (Cooques). He remained there until at least January 1688.
Career in northern Europe
He was already a respected artist when he came to DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
at the end of the 1680s to oversee the numerous Scandinavian commissions received in his father’s studio. He arrived in 1689, and supervised the work on the tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
designed by his father for Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Hans Schack (1609-76) in Trinity Church (Trinitatiskirke), Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
In short time he gained a considerable independent reputation as a sculptor in Northern Europe
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
. The commission to create the Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve monument in Our Lady Church (Vor Frue Kirke), Copenhagen in August 1689 was the catalyst to his extended stay and successful career in Denmark.
Due to the volume and scope of work he produced, starting in 1689 he ran a workshop in Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
, specialized in funerary monuments for Danish and north German patrons. In his workshop he had many students, apprentices and helpers, mainly sculptors from Flanders; among them Just Wiedewelt (father of sculptor Johannes Wiedewelt
Johannes Wiedewelt
Johannes Wiedewelt , Danish neoclassical sculptor, was born in Copenhagen to royal sculptor to the Danish Court, Just Wiedewelt, and his wife Birgitte Lauridsdatter...
, Abraham Breusegem Emanuel Cuekelaere, and probably Andreas Gercken. In order to simply production he was known to have imported some partially carved pieces, especially architectural pieces, from the Netherlands.
Although he was very successful with private commissions, not much of his work came from the royal court. And although he was arguably the land’s leading sculptor, he was never named sculpture to the royal court. Up until 1697 he lived in Aabenraa
Aabenraa
The city of Aabenraa or Åbenrå , with a population of 15,760 , is situated at the head of the Aabenraa Fjord, an arm of the Little Belt, in Denmark, 38 miles north of the town of Schleswig. Its name originally meant "open beach"...
, and then he acquired residential property on Norgesgade, now known as Bredgade
Bredgade
Bredgade is one of the most prominent streets in Copenhagen, Denmark. Running in a straight line from Kongens Nytorv for just under one kilometre to the intersection of Esplanaden and Grønningen, it is one of the major streets in Frederiksstaden, a Rococo district laid out in the middle of the...
, in Copenhagen.
Assistants Breusegem and Cuekelaere executed the sculptures for the altar at Our Saviour’s Church (Vor Frelsers Kirke), Copenhagen according to Quellinus’s sketch in 1697.
On 6 October 1701 Quellinus was one of a group of respected artists to send a petition to King Frederick IV
Frederick IV of Denmark
Frederick IV was the king of Denmark and Norway from 1699 until his death. Frederick was the son of King Christian V of Denmark and Norway and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel .-Foreign affairs:...
requesting approval for the formation of an artist society and teaching academy. The others were Hendrick Krock
Hendrick Krock
Hendrick Krock was a Danish history painter who, from 1706, was the court painter of Frederick IV as well as his successor Christian VI. Along with Benoit Le Coffre set the tone for history painting in Denmark during the 18th century-1720s, having been influenced by the Italian baroque painting he...
, Wilchen Riboldt, Jacob Coning
Jacob Coning
Jacob Coning was a Dutch-Danish painter who was painter to the Danish Court. He was one of the first painters in Denmark to specialize in topographical painting, continuing the tradition from Dutch landscape painting.-Biography:...
, Otto de Willarts, and Georg Saleman-- all royal artists in service to the court. This was the humble beginning to the formation of the Royal Danish Academy of Art
Royal Danish Academy of Art
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts has provided a practice-oriented complement to the scholarly investigation of the arts carried out at Danish universities for more than 250 years, playing a crucial part in the development of the distinctive tradition of the art of Denmark.- History :The Royal...
(Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi) many years later.
After 1701 he regularly visited Antwerp, and was in Belgium in 1704. He received citizenship in Copenhagen as a sculptor on 12 December 1703, along with royal permission to run a commercial enterprise selling lace from Brabant
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...
.
He returned permanently to Antwerp in 1707, and became a master in the city’s Guild of St Luke.
He died in Antwerp, and was buried on 7 September 1709. His widow, Anna Marie, survived him, and it is believed that she continued his workshop’s production for some years with a couple of assistants. She also continued until 1711 the commercial enterprise selling lace.
Aftermath
Much of his work has not survived to this day, or has been partially destroyed by either fire, war, or the general ravages of time. This includes the Schack tomb at Trinity Church, which originally brought Quellinus to Denmark, which was already partially destroyed in the Copenhagen Fire of 1728Copenhagen Fire of 1728
The Copenhagen Fire of 1728 was the largest fire in the history of Copenhagen, Denmark. It began on the evening of October 20, 1728, and continued to burn until the morning of October 23. It destroyed approximately 28% of the city , left 20% of the population homeless, and the reconstruction lasted...
.
His almost seventeen years in Denmark had a significant impact on the development of Danish sculpture, and especially memorial sculpture. Many of the following generation’s best sculptors were his students.
Other works
- The baroque high altarAltarAn altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
(1697) in Lübeck’s St. Mary's Church called the "Fredenhagen-altar" after its donator, Lübeck merchant Thomas Fredenhagen. The altar was destroyed during the World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
bomb raid on Lübeck, and fragments of the altar were stored.. There have been discussions, as to whether it should be rebuilt. A bustBust (sculpture)A bust is a sculpted or cast representation of the upper part of the human figure, depicting a person's head and neck, as well as a variable portion of the chest and shoulders. The piece is normally supported by a plinth. These forms recreate the likeness of an individual...
of Fredenhagen is in Lübeck’s St. Annen MuseumSt. Annen MuseumThe monastery of Saint Annen in Lübeck-Germany is a former monastery of the Augustinians. It is now part of the Lübeck's museum for history of art and culture...
, along with the model of the altar. - The tomb for Prince BishopPrince-BishopA Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office...
August Friedrich von Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, and the tomb chapel for the Danish chancellor Johann Hugo von Lente' (1640–1716) in the Lübeck CathedralLübeck CathedralThe Lübeck Cathedral is a large brick Lutheran cathedral in Lübeck, Germany and part of Lübeck's world heritage. It was started in 1173 by Henry the Lion as a cathedral for the Bishop of Lübeck. It was partly destroyed in a bombing raid in World War II , and later reconstructed. The organ by Arp...
(Lübeck Dom) - The tomb and chapel for the noble von Brockdorff family in 'Kletkamp Manor' in Nüchel Church (Kirchnüchel) near PlönPlönPlön is the district seat of the Plön district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and has about 13,000 inhabitants. It lies right on the shores of Schleswig-Holstein's biggest lake, the Great Plön Lake, as well as on several smaller lakes, touching the town on virtually all sides...
in HolsteinHolsteinHolstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
, Quellinus’s last major work - The sarcophagusSarcophagusA sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
for Danish Chancellor Conrad von ReventlowConrad von ReventlowConrad von Reventlow was the first Prime Minister of Denmark from 1699 until his death. His Chancellorship occurred during the reign of Frederick IV.-Biography:...
in the Schleswig CathedralSchleswig CathedralSchleswig Cathedral , officially the Cathedral of St. Peter at Schleswig , is the main church of Schleswig and was the cathedral of the Bishop of Schleswig until the diocese was dissolved in 1624...
(Schleswig Dom) - The memorials for Axel Urup, Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve and Cort Adeler in Our Lady Church (Vor Frue Kirke), Copenhagen
- The memorial for Niels Rosenkrantz (d. 1676) in Nicholas Church (Nicolai Kirke),
- The memorials for Constantin Marselis-Casius-Rodstun in Aarhus Cathedral (Aarhus Domkirke), AarhusAarhusAarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
, Denmark (1702–1704) - The monuments for Thomas KingoThomas Hansen KingoThomas Hansen Kingo was a Danish bishop, poet and hymn-writer born at Slangerup, near Copenhagen. His work marked the high point of Danish baroque poetry....
in SlangerupSlangerupSlangerup is a town with a population of 6,822 in Frederikssund municipality in Region Hovedstaden in the northern part of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark.-The town of Slangerup:...
and on FunenFunenFunen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the... - Two of the five marble busts, those of Christian Albrecht and of Duke Frederik IV in Schleswig Cathedral are presumed, with good reason, to be the work of Quellinus
- Sculptures for the gardens at Frederiksborg PalaceFrederiksborg PalaceFrederiksborg castle is a castle in Hillerød, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV, and is now known as The Museum of National History. The current building replaced a previous castle erected by Frederick II, and is the largest Renaissance palace in Scandinavia...
- Sculptures for Christian Albrecht’s Gottorp CastleGottorpGottorf Castle is a castle and estate in the city of Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the ancestral home of the Holstein-Gottorp branch of the House of Oldenburg...