Laurys Gillis

Laurys Gillis, also known as Laurentius, Laurent, Laureis, Louwerijs Gieles (Antwerp 1688 – Antwerp 1749) was a sculptor from Antwerp (Belgium).[1]

The Maria statue on the Meir, Antwerp (Belgium).

Biography

Shoemakers son of Jean Gillis from Hoegaarden, Belgium and Maria Margareta Gantier.[2] Baptized on August 25, 1688, in Antwerp, Belgium. Married on 3 May 1712 in Antwerp to Helena Mattheyssens. Louwerijs Gieles was registered in 1701/1702 as a student of the famous sculptor Michiel van der Voort the Elder (Antwerp 1667 – Antwerp 1737). In 1721/1722 he was admitted as master Louwerensius Gieles in the craft of bell cutters.[3]

He was a member of the Saint Luke Guild in Antwerp.[4]

Two of his sons, Josephus Gillis (Antwerp 1724 – Antwerp 1773) and Jean-Baptiste Gillis (Antwerp 1717 – 1752) also became sculptors. A third, Herman Gillis (Antwerp 1733 – Antwerp 1791) became a painter and director of the academy in Leuven.[3]

Major works

His most important works in marble and ceramic have been sent to Holland.

A work by him is the Madonna and Child on the corner of the Lange Klarenstraat and the Meir in Antwerp.[5][6] The late Baroque statue was made for the boarding school of the Jesuits on the Sint-Jacobsmarkt. It initially consisted of a group of three figures. This statue was previously attributed to Pieter (I) Verbruggen (Antwerp 1615 – Antwerp 1686). The Madonna was restored at the end of 2013. She was relocated at the end of December 2014. An additional angel head was applied during the restoration.[7]

Another work by him is in the Sint-Jacob church in Antwerp. It is a statue made in 1740 of St. Johannes Nepomucenus.[8] The statue is made of marble.

In 2008, two small angel statues made by Laurys Gillis were sold at a Sothebys auction for 12,000 euros.[9]

Bibliography
  • J.M. Muller, 'St. Jacob's Antwerp Art and Counter Reformation in Rubens's Parish Church p. 405
  • Verhandelingen van de Koninklijke Vlaamsche Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schone Kunsten van België, Klasse der Schone Kunsten, Nummer 5, p. 431
  • Philippe Félix Rombouts, Théodore François Xavier van Lerius, De Liggeren en andere historische archieven der Antwerpsche Sint Lucasgilde, Volume 2, pp. 628, 632, 725–726
  • Piron, Académie Royale: Biographie nationale, pp. 255–257, 261
  • J.De Coo, Museum Mayer Van den Bergh, p. 263

References
  1. "Gillis, Laurentius | Inventaris Onroerend Erfgoed". inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be.
  2. "Laurentius Gillis". Laurentius Gillis.
  3. Piron, Académie Royale: Biographie nationale, pp. 255–257, 261
  4. Philippe Félix Rombouts, Théodore François Xavier van Lerius, 'Historic Archives of the Saint Luke Guild in Antwerp, Volume 2, pp. 628, 632, 725–726
  5. "Antwerpen – Madonna met Kind". statues.vanderkrogt.net.
  6. "Hoegaardier maakte beeld voor Antwerpse Meir". Het Nieuwsblad.
  7. "Verbeelding". www.verbeelding.be.
  8. J.M. Muller, "The cult of St. Johannes Nepomucenus in the St Jacob’s Church, Antwerp", in: K. Van der Stighelen (ed.), Munuscula Amicorum. Contributions on Rubens and his colleagues in honour of Hans Vlieghe, Turnhout 2006, dl. 2, pp. 489–508
  9. http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2008/european-sculpture-and-works-of-art-l08231/lot.152.html
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