Visiting Antwerp Dr. Law Chi Lim

Contrary to popular perception , Antwerp ( Antwerpen in Dutch) is not just one of those stops for convenience on some cruise ship itinerary . In fact , it is a town well worth a stay for a day or two on its own. You may not know that there are quite a few things that Antwerp is famous for.

Diamond Trade in Antwerp Near the Central Railway Station ( which, incidentally is acknowledged to be one of the most beautiful ones in Europe with its 19th century Art Deco façade and the main marble hall soaring to 44 metres high) is the so-called Diamond District in Antwerp. It may be just a few blocks of non-descript office buildings covering an area of may be one square mile, but it is in here where 84% of the world’s rough diamonds are traded. The 1500 diamond offices here employ nearly 8000 people and process nearly US$ 100 million worth of diamond per day. In the past, the trading was dominated by the Jews, but these days, the Indian community in Antwerp may have an equally powerful presence here. Whereas in the past, most of the raw diamonds were cut (thus the name “Antwerp Cut”) and polished locally , now it is increasing being outsourced to Mumbai and Surat in India. If you are a diamond connoisseur , this area is a must see. Even if you are not, you can still go to the nearby Del Rey Tearoom ( 5 ,Appelmansstraat) for some sinfully delicious Belgian chocolate. The hot chocolate there will make you forget all about dieting and blood sugar levels.

Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( 1577-1640) One cannot walk around in Antwerp and not be reminded constantly of Antwerp’s famous son, Rubens, who was probably the best know Fleming Baroque painter of his time. Rubens spent most of his life in Antwerp where he maintained a large studio with many assistants (including some who would later become great masters on their own). As a result, Rubens left us a huge quantity of works including religious works, portraits, and landscapes etc. In his time, his works were admired and collected by nobilities all over Europe so much so that he came to befriend many of them. His relationship with the various monarchs in different countries even made him a diplomat. In modern terms : he would be Henry Kissinger and Andy Warhol all in one. Thus, in June 1629, Rubens spent 6 months in England as a guest of King Charles I . He was sent there by the Spanish King , Philip IV, to forge a truce between Spain and England. He subsequently left England with both a peace treaty and a knighthood. Three years later, he was knighted by Philip IV. He is probably the only painter in history to receive such a double-knighthood.

Visitors these days to various museums all over the world will be impressed by Rubens’s extravagant style with emphasis on light, colour, movement, drama, and sensuality. Many viewers may tend to focus on his depiction of pink voluptuous nude women in their natural plump but curvy forms. However, many people in fact believe that Rubens’s greatest works are his religious works , the most famous of which must be the altarpiece at Antwerpt’s Cathedral of Our Lady , the Descend from the Cross ( 1611-1614).

The Descent from the Cross(1611-1614) This masterpiece from Rubens is housed in Antwerp in the Cathedral of Our Lady , a magnificent gothic cathedral ( built between 1352 to 1521) with seven aisles and 125 pillars and a tower that soars to 123 metres. Rubens in fact painted at least 3 versions with the same theme, but this triptych (with three wood panels) is the most famous one with Christ’s contorted body seemingly pushing out of the painting in a diagonal swathe towards the viewers. At the same time , Christ’s body seems to be the major source of light in the composition , no doubt an allusion to his divine nature. Receiving Christ from below is Saint John with his bright red robe and Magdalene with her golden hair. In contrast , one can also see a somberly-dressed mother of Christ with her sad face. The painting is instantly captivating and moving to any viewer. It is interesting to note that many Japanese visitors are particularly drawn to this painting as there is this children’s tale popular in Japan since the 19th century about an orphan boy in dire straits and his dog having their dying wish of seeing this painting inside the cathedral fulfilled. The Cathedral also has three other works by Rubens. The Resurrection of Christ (1611 to 1612) shows Christ radiantly emerging from his tomb with a piece of blue cloth covering his vital parts. The Elevation the Cross (1610-1611) shows Christ being elevated diagonally (in the opposite direction from that of The Descent from the Cross) by muscular men struggling to get the almost unbearable weight of the cross upright. On the main altar is the Assumption of the Virgin Mary ( 1625 to 1626). All these pieces illustrate Rubens’ masterly use of light, dynamic motion, space

and time.

While visiting the cathedral, do not forget to take note of Nicolaw Rombouts’s Last Supper (1503) stained-glass window and superb Madonna and Child (ca1350) in carrara marble from Tuscany. Incidentally, as the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp is in the process of renovation until 2018, many of the treasures there are now in display in the cathedral. So the

admission fee of 6 Euros is really more than worth it. Need to Know 1. There are many other worthwhile things to check out in Antwerp like the Rubenshuis ( a museum with Rubens’ paintings in his former 17 century home and studio), and the Museum aan de Stroom ( a striking red sandstone museum with high tech exhibitions exploring Antwerp’s place in the world). The main street leading straight from the Central Train Station is a pedestrian-only street rather like Oxford Street in London but with less crowd and more elegant shops. 2. Antwerp is just under one hour by train from Brussels, and so is doable as a day trip. Of course, one should combine a trip to Antwerp with visits to the other towns of Ghent and Bruges. That , of course, is another story.