The Archeological Society of Bruges began collecting sculptures in 1865 to preserve artifacts from the medieval past. Their collection records sometimes provide limited provenance information like the name of a religious order or guild that can provide clues to an object's origin. Determining the origin of sculptures is challenging when no provenance is recorded or when historical sources have been destroyed by events like iconoclasm or wars. Researching related works and published books can also help establish if a sculpture originated from Bruges.

1. Determining the Bruges origin of
sculptures in the
Gruuthusecollection:
a possible approach
Kristel Van Audenaeren

2. • The archeological Society of Bruges (SAB)
started in 1865
• They were huge fans of the medieval times
• Collection to preserve the past, to document
the past, but also as an object of study

3. Seat of wisdom
© KIKIRPA

4. Available sources
Entries written in the registers of the SAB
• Sometimes we know a bit of the provenance: a name, a religious
order, a guild…
• When the provenance concerns a guild, that gives us more clues, at
least we know where to start
• When the provenance concerns a religious order or…in some cases
even a church
• When the provenance concerns a person, a member of a noble
family, that could be a lead
• When the provenance concerns a person, but an antiquary, this
would be a very difficult search
• But…that’s about all we have and all we know for sure
• Not all sculptures in the registers come with a provenance, then it’s
nearly mission impossible…

5. Available sources
Research & books
Bruges origin?
Destroyed sources
- iconoclasm
- French revolution
- WWI and WWII
Restoration

6. Zacharias komt hier

9. Saint-Michael, Sint-Jacobskerk
Brugge, © KIKIRPA
Saint-Michael, Gruuthuse

10. © Prado

15. Invoegen schoorsteenwang

19. Elien Vernackt

20. Elien Vernackt