THE WORLDMAP BY JAN VAN EYCK part 5
We are very sceptical about the opinion of Sterling saying that the map of Van Eyck is represented in certain miniatures around Alphonse V, miniatures that were made in Valencia. The representation of the world in a round form separated in 3 segments enfold by an ocean is a common cultural heritage well known throughout the Middle Ages. The fact that cities, mountains and rivers are put on these maps is also not under a direct or remote influence of the Eyckian map. But we agree with Sterling when he says that in the first half of the 15th century there is a busy contact between the harbours of the Catalonian coast (Valencia and Barcelona) with Bruges. Flemish painters are well known in these parts from the second quart of the 15th century, especially the name of Jan Van Eyck. He is mentioned in a document of Valencia from 1444 as Mestre Johannes lo gren pinto del illustre duch de Burgunya. Also lived in Valencia the painter of Bruges, Lodewijk Allyncbrood known there as Luis Alimbrot, Mestre Luis lo flamench from 1439.
A lot of Flemish devotional panels appear in the houses of the rich and important tradesmen in the Catalonian harbours. Furthermore regularly arrived shipments with tapestries, lead glass and cupper from Bruges, a trade that will increase and in the third part of the 15th century many Valencian and Catalonian painters are under the strong influence of Flemish painting. This influence will also tend to the Neapolitan school of painting. But the map or even the influence of the map of Van Eyck is not to be found in the same direction to Naples or Valencia. We have to look at the Southern Netherlands.
The court of Burgundy was as most Western European courts of the 15th century a travelling court. From the thirties we see 2 great poles in their travels: Brussels and Bruges. In Brussels Philippe the Good made large rebuilding at the palace of the dukes of Brabant. Even so in the Court of the princes in Bruges where we see elaborate changes in 1446-1448 and the complete rebuilding of the chapel in 1456-1459.
To situate the map of Jan Van Eyck we look in the first place to Bruges, then the most important trade pool of the West and a city where tradesmen of all nations were concentrated. If the duke could use a map of the world somewhere, it would be in Bruges.
The corps de logis of the Court of the princes was a fortified tower formed building called the Oude Steen (Old Stone), with on the left a chapel and a hall. The chapel was build on a low lying floor with stone vaults creating a storage place for valuable goods like tapestries, well protected for fire and theft (similar with the Gewölbe or Schatzgewölbe in German and Austrian castles). Upstairs the private quarters and bedroom of the duke there was a galentas (le petit galentas because there was also a grant galentas). Probably these were the attics used for storing goods open freely. According to van Zuylen Nyevelt (Episodes de la vie des ducs de Bourgogne à Bruges) the duke stayed mostly in his galentas, a room with a large window. He had collected there several objects, among them charts, maps of the world and clocks. There is no mention however if it’s about the great or the small one. Did the duke used it as retrait or studiolo ? In later accounts of the Court of the princes (1457-159) there is sometimes mention of les viez et nouvel retrais servant à la chambre of the duke.
In the building program we find accounts for the period 1446-1448 related to the petit galentas:
- Item pour tout le ferrage de luys du petit galentas de mondit seigneur, ou est son mappa mundi, avec une serure de fer à deux clefz, ung verreil et autres parties de ferronnerie y servant. Xls.
- Item pour une grande plate de fer a trois pipotz à metre chandelles audit galentas. IIIJs.
In this upper room above the bedroom of the duke, he kept his what is called above son mappa mundi. Philippe considered this piece his own; it was probably made on his initiative and was therefore something remarkable. He made special protections at the door with iron materials and installed chandeliers. We suspect that he could withdraw there in sleepless nights and contemplate before his own map of the world. Due to the special care taken for this map we are of opinion that it had to be something unusual, namely the work of art of his beloved painter. So the worldmap of Jan Van Eyck hung in Bruges. If it is these map of the world mentioned in 1467 beside the 876 other codices of his library when he died we are not sure. Very probably these map is denominated as a map made on parchment glued on wood in 1520 in the librairie of Margaret of Austria in Malines. Was the Eyckian map also made on parchment and glued on a wooden holder with a cupper ring to hang on the wall ? Was it maybe painted on the wall itself ? Or was it with an other device to hang it up ? It seemed is was destined never to leave this secret room.
We understand now that due to it’s secret and impassable place it was never remarked by visitors of the Court of the princes and that it even has left no trace at all in the own historical literature. We even know nothing of the decorations of the great hall and the adjoining chapel. How could we then be informed about a so impassable room as the petit galentas above the bedroom of the duke. Even Dürer who in 1521 visited the Court of the princes and mentioned the painted chapel by Rogier van der Weyden and another old master (probably the descent of the cross by the Master of Flemalle) appears not to have seen the map if indeed it was still present.