COLLIER DE LA GILDE DES ARQUEBUSIERS DIT "COLLIER DE RUBENS" - Lot 152

COLLIER DE LA GILDE DES ARQUEBUSIERS DIT "COLLIER DE RUBENS" NECKLACE OF THE ARQUEBUSIERS’ GUILD CALLED "COLLAR OF RUBENS" NECKLACE OF THE ARQUEBUSIERS’ GUILD CALLED "COLLAR OF RUBENS" The so-called Rubens necklace is a military guild necklace, attributed to the Guild of Arquebusiers of Antwerp. The necklace, in partially gilded silver, is composed of 11 rectangular links depicting alternately Burgundy lighters and “flammèches”, applied with 2 intertwined arquebuses held by a coronet surmounted by a fleur-de-lis. It is decorated in its centre with a shield depicting St. Christopher in an oval frame surmounted by an archangel and surrounded by 2 mermaids. It holds a pendant called "Papegaai" in gilded silver, representing a crowned parrot with spread wings, resting on a branch. A small chain terminated by a hook is hung at the top of the medallion of St. Christopher. H: 54 x W: 39 cm (inside 27.8 cm) Total weight: 881.28 g PROVENANCE Peter Paul Rubens is said to have offered it to his son Nicolaas. According to the testamentary wishes of Baron Robert de Vinck de Winnezeele (1907-1983), descendant of Peter Paul Rubens by 3 branches, it was loaned to the Rubens Museum in Antwerp from 2005 until its closure for renovation in 2022. Following this, the heirs of Baron de Vinck entrusted it to Antenor Auction. To bid on this lot in the saleroom, by phone or on internet platforms, it is necessary to contact Olivia Roussev, associate director of Antenor Auction: [email protected] 0032 495 74 63 62 ATTRIBUTION TO PETER PAUL RUBENS Peter Paul Rubens (28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was an illustrious painter of the Baroque period, ennobled in 1624, also performing diplomatic duties for the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands. An inscription engraved on the back mentions that the necklace was offered to Peter Paul Rubens by the Bourguemestre (mayor) of the city of Antwerp, Nicolaas Rockox in 1614: "Mr. ROCKOX. BOURGUEMESTRE D'ANVERS TO MONSIEUR P.P. RUBENS". Nicolaas Rockox (1560-1640) was captain (hoofdman) of the Arquebusiers' guild. There is every reason to believe that this gift was made to thank him (or even in return) for the execution, between 1612 and 1614, of his triptych "The Descent from the Cross" commissioned by the Arquebusiers’ guild of Antwerp on September 7 1611, to adorn the altar of their votive chapel in the transept of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp. The Arquebusiers’ guild was established in the mansion adjoining Rubens' residence, the Kolveniershof (now the Rubenianium Museum). The “Kolveniersgilde”, the Arquebusiers’ guild in Antwerp, was founded in 1489/1490, also called Guild of Saint Christopher since he was its patron saint. The painter was a member of honour as mentioned in his will. We find on the back of the triptych, as tradition dictates, the patron saint of the brotherhood, Saint Christopher with the Infant Jesus on his back. HISTORY OF GUILDS The gilds, or guilds, are at the origin urban military companies, appearing at the beginning of the 14th century. They are composed of citizens who gather with their weapon of choice (crossbows, arquebuses, snakes, arrowbows) into an elite corps to protect and guard their city but also to intervene in case of fire. In the second half of the 14th century, they will expand this military role into a political commitment and will display a more social role at the heart of local folklore, especially with the organisation of the annual bird shooting contest – a parrot called "papegaai". A pastiche bird was hung at the top of the church tower (later at the top of a pole). The shooter who managed to shoot it was named king for one year (if the same person won the shooting contest three years in a row, he was named emperor). The King became the central figure of the Guild and received all the honours, obtaining the right to wear three attributes: a silver cloak, a sceptre and the right to wear the necklace of the Guild during the procession, the banquet and the party organised by the city. The cities invested a lot in the organisation of this tradition because they saw a way to improve their image and communicate their political status and stimulate civic cohesion around common values. To belong to a Guild was an honour: to be part of it, you had to not only be a notable of the city but be able to pay a substantial entrance fee, called "Doodschulde", remaining member for a lifetime. Wife and children were an integral part of the Guild. TYPOLOGY OF GUILD NECKLACES Since their appearance in the 14th century, the Dukes of Burgundy have shown great interest in these urban militias and granted them special privileges. They were even made honorary members of the guilds of the Netherlands. To distinguish the members of the guild, specific clothing was worn during official public appearances. It was necessary to highlight the king of the Gilde and to do this, the honorary necklace, inspired by that of the Golden Fleece, was conceived as the grandest attribute. Gilde necklaces are called "breuk", "braak", "brodgie", "Span", "Halsband" or "Juweel". The choice of silver was not trivial given the high cost of the material at the time; it thus served as safety treasure for the Guild. They are 3 types of guild collars or necklaces: The first type of collars, the rarest, is composed of identical plaques with hinges as that of the Confraternity of Crossbowmen de Liège, c. 1531 or that of the Arquebusiers de Nivelles, c. 1525-1600. The second type is called "evolutionary" because it is made of plaques added over the years. Each offered by the King of the Year and bearing his name, the year and possibly his coat-of-arms. This kind of collar can sometimes lead to an accumulation plaques. The third type, including most collars, is made of depicting the “briquets” or lighters of Burgundy and the “flammèches”. Lighters and flammèches refer to fire stones. They display in their centre a medallion dedicated to the patron saint of the guild from which the Papegaai (a bird) is suspended. Guild necklaces are exhibited at the Porte de Hal museum (Royal Museums of Art and History). The so-called Rubens necklace corresponds perfectly to the typology of necklaces inspired by the one of the Order of the Golden Fleece which was created in 1430 by the Duke of Burgundy Philip the Good. The Rubens necklace is decorated with the emblem of the confraternity of arquebusiers, the arquebuse, which replaced the snake, a kind of muzzle cannon hence the name de Kolveniersgilde (snake gild). MATERIALS AND HALLMARKS The necklace is made of silver, partially covered with gold (vermeil) in 1650, as indicated by the inscription engraved on the back: "SAID IS VERGULT. ANNO.1650 » Weight: 881.28 g The weight in ounces (old measurement): "28.ONS.16.IS" is engraved on the back. One ounce corresponds to 20 “esterlings” or 30.6 g On the back of the central plate are 4 hallmarks: a standing lion, the intertwined and crowned letters V and A nested, the letter K and IH crowned. They correspond to the city of Valenciennes in the 17th century (standing lion and intertwined AV), K for the Jurande letter (date of the test) and IH crowned for the master goldsmith (indicted on each medallion and the central plate). Presence of strides on the back of plaques. TECHNIQUES USED The plaques representing the flames are of hollow cast silver and are consolidated by crisscrossed bars and finished with 2 hooks that connect them to the contiguous medallions. The bird pendant is made of chiselled and gilded solid silver. The central plate is cast silver, chiselled and partially gilded. It is consolidated on the back by a plate, held by bolts, on which the dedication is engraved and the hallmarks are indicted. STATE OF CONSERVATION Unlike most known collars of this type, it is in a very good state of preservation and presents no trace of restoration. A few bolts are missing from the back of the centre plate.