Jan Engelbert Pompe (Antwerp 1743 - 1810)
Two Modelli for Male Saints
terracotta
height 34,5 and 35,5 cm
Jan-Baptist Engelbert Pompe was born in Antwerp in 1743 and was baptized on the day of his birth in the Church of Sint-Walburgis. His father, Walter Pompe (1703 - 1777)...
Jan-Baptist Engelbert Pompe was born in Antwerp in 1743 and was baptized on the day of his birth in the Church of Sint-Walburgis. His father, Walter Pompe (1703 - 1777) was one of the most important and prolific sculptors in 18th century Antwerp. Jan-Baptist’s brother Pauwel (1742 - 1822) also became a sculptor. Jan-Baptist enrolled at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts, winning many prizes between 1768 and 1776. In the winter of 1772, from January 15 to 17, together with his father and brother Pauwel, he crafted snow sculptures on the Antwerp streets and public squares.
Together with his father, he worked on sculptures for the Middelburg town hall, as well as for the (former) church on Leeuwenstraat in Rotterdam. One of his works, a Christ figure in ivory, was placed in the Saint Anthony Church in Antwerp. Due to the quality of his work, he became a protégé of the Antwerp bishop, Monsignor Cornelius Franciscus de Nelis.
The present pair of of terracotta modelli was presumably preparatory for a larger group of sculptures, possibly apostles, made for a church. However, no connection to existing works has been found yet.
Provenance
The artist's estate;
Thence by descent.