Lambert Lombard (1506–66), went to Italy in 1537. He returned to Liège
in 1539. He was a painter, and more particularly an architect. He set up
a school of painting and engraving, the first of its kind there. Three
of his pupils brought great honour to his school: these were Francis
Floris, called the “Flemish Raphael,” William Key and Hubert Goltzius.
He worked very little himself beyond designs for engravers, and more
often for paintings on glass. He was rich enough to indulge his taste
for objects of antiquity. It was at this date that the study of
numismatics came into existence in Belgium, and learned men took delight
in setting up a cabinet of medals and coins: among the wealthy it became
even a mania that was carried to extremes. Lombard’s collection, the
beauty of which was praised by all his contemporaries, was composed of
medals, coins, carvings, and other objects of high antiquity.
Hubert (or Hugo) Goltius (or Goltz), was a painter, engraver,
numismatologist and historian. He was born at Venlo in 1526 and died in
1583. He studied under Lambert Lombard and was also influenced by
Erasmus’ friend, van Watervliet, who guided him in his classic studies,
Greek and Roman antiquities, etc.
Goltius visited all the great towns in Belgium, Holland, Germany, France
and Italy, in order to examine the cabinets of collectors for material
for his book on coins. His itinerary reveals an astonishing number of
collectors of coins and medals.
Goltius made the decorations in Antwerp for the fêtes of the Golden
Fleece. He was also appointed historian to Philip II.
A marriage coffer of leather, designed by him, represented the King of
Spain and Margaret of Austria standing beside the Fountain of Love.
The craze for medals, coins and curios during the sixteenth century was
widespread. We have seen that the Regent had a coffer full of corals and
various trifles. To meet the demand for housing curios, the cabinet was
developed. This was usually a double chest, the upper one smaller than
the other. Both closed with doors and contained drawers and shelves.
Like almost all the pieces of furniture called “cabinets” of the
sixteenth and seventeenth century, the one reproduced on Plate VIII is
in two parts, the upper being smaller than, and standing back on the top
of, the lower. It is carved in walnut wood, enriched with sculptures,
and here and there plaques of marble are set in order to relieve the
monotony resulting from the sole use of wood. Stone of various colours
was largely used at this period, as an inlay for furniture in the
Netherlands and France, and more especially in Germany.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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