Statues - Hither & Thither

 

Description

Construction of Saint Gummarus Church commenced in 1378 and took around 200 years. Hence the lower parts are pure Gothic, the middle ones baroque and the roof of the tower rococo. The saint's statues in the main portal were made by Oscar Sinia (1944-50), those in the niches in the buttresses of the nave and the choir are added in the first half of the 20th century and were made by A. de Beule (1908-13) and Oscar Sinia (1939-55) (among others in 1942 St. Anne, St. Anthony and St. Eugene), the three statues to the right of the front façade date from 1986 and are sculpted by J. Keustermans.

Front Portal

Originally sculpted between 1426 and 1450; the present statues by Oscar Sinia, 1939-55.

At the top of the arch above the entrance

gummar

Five statues above the door

Left St. James the Lesser and St. Gummarus

Central St. Mary - Christ blessing - St. John the Baptist

Right St. John the Evangelist and St. James the Greater

Four statues in the jambs

Left: Adam and Noach

Right: Abraham and Mozes

Three statues at the front Façade, by J. Keustermans, 1986

joris St. Joris / St. George

magdalena St. Maria Magdalena

carolus borromeus St. Carolus Borromeus

Top of the transepts

Made by Oscar Sinia, 1946

North St.-Gummarus

South St.-Jan-de-Doper / St. John the Baptist

South side of the Nave

Nine statues at the north side of the Nave

St. Cecilia

St. Nicholas

The Choir

Six statues at the lower level from north clockwise to south

St. Christopher

Five statues at the upper level, from north clockwise to south

Signature

Sculptors

• Aloys De Beule (Zele 1861-Gent 1935), Belgian sculptor (Wikipedia).
  
• Jan Keustermans (Hoboken 1917 - Wommelgem 2009), Belgian sculptor (Website).
  
• Oscar Sinia (Gent 1877 - Gent 1956), Belgian sculptor of religious statues for churches (Website).

Sources & Information

• Inventaris van het Onroerend Erfgoed, Parochiekerk Sint-Gummarus.
• Wikipedia, Sint-Gummaruskerk (Lier).
• Belgian Art Links and Tools, Sint-Gummaruskerk Lier.
• Hertha Leemans, De Sint-Gummaruskerk te Lier Kunstpatrimonium van de provincie Antwerpen (Antwerpen; Utrecht, 1972). [almost no information on the statues on the exterior of the church...].

Tags

Locatie (N 51°7'48" - E 4°34'28") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

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