Belgian Funerary Hatchment - Van den Hecke - 1956

A large Belgian funerary hatchment (or Blazoen in Flemish), framed oil on panel. Salvaged from 'The Church of Our Lady of the Nativity', a Roman Catholic church in Ghent, Belgium, originally completed in 1868 on the site of an earlier church, dating back to 1731. The current church was designed by architect W.J. van Vogelpoel, and is now designated as a Municipal Monument (a listed building).  

This particular example would have been painted in 1956/57, and is the original produced following the death of Valerie van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie in December 1956. She was born in 1881, married Robert Alfred van den Hecke in February 1911, and they had a son (Jacques) who passed in 1998. Valerie van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie is widely recognized as the first woman to fly in an airplane, having flowing with Henri Farman at an airshow in Ghent in 1908.  We also have the hatchment of her husband and son, who passed in 1926 & 1998 respectively (see other listings). 

A bright and vibrant piece, produced and signed by local artist J DeGreef, and was displayed in the church for approximately 60 years, prior to a major refurbishment in 2017.  We originally had 4 of these pieces, all different family members and with variations to the decoration (2 with added shields), one has sold, but we still have the husband, wife and son (1926, 1956 & 1998).

The practice of painting funerary hatchments dates back to at least the 17th Century.

Measures: 125cm wide x 125cm tall

UK DELIVERY OF THIS ITEM: Insured postal delivery of this item will be £30.