Van Ertborn aged 21, by Jean-Baptiste Greuze
Posthumous bust of van Ertborn by Jozef Geefs, 1849

Florent van Ertborn (4 April 1784 - 28 August 1840) was a Dutch and Belgian politician and art collector.

Biography

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Florentius Josephus, Knight van Ertborn was born in Antwerp in 1784 in a wealthy, aristocratic family, the only son of Emmanuel van Ertborn and Catharina de Witte.[1] As a yong man, he made a Grand Tour to Italy and France, becoming acquainted with the art of the Old Masters. In Antwerp, he was a member of the commission responsible for the distribution of artworks which had returned from France after the defeat of Napoleon, and helped with the reopening of the museum of the local Fine Arts Academy.[2]

He was involved with politics from an early age, and was friends with Jan Frans Willems, one of the leaders of the early Flemish Movement. He became a member of the provincial council of Antwerp in 1817, mayor of Antwerp in 1818, and governor of the Province of Utrecht in 1828. As mayor, he imposed the new language laws, making Dutch the official government language of Antwerp. Van Ertborn was bilingual French-Dutch.[2] He was a chamberlain to King William I of the Netherlands.[1] He moved to Dordrecht and married in 1830 the 18-year-old Baroness Adriana Eleonora Sophia van Heeckeren-Wierse. That same year 1830 Belgium became independent, and van Ertborn laid down his functions. He got reelected as mayor of Antwerp in 1831, but as a proponent of the reunion with the Netherlands refused and stayed in Dordrecht until his death in 1840. He is buried in Antwerp.[3]

Van Ertborn was an avid collector of art, mainly 15th and 16th century paintings from Flanders and neighbouring countries. These were barely collected or studied at the time, usually judged inferior to the Baroque art of the 17th century, and due to the end of the French Revolution there was a large supply of works on the market. He was advised by the German art historian and collector Sulpiz Boisserée[4] and one of his friends, the painter Mattheus Ignatius van Bree, restored some of the works. They also, together with Jan Adriaan Snijers, formed the acquisitions committee of the Antwerp Museum.[2] He legated all 115 works to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, which was at the time still the museum of the local Academy of Fine Arts.

Collection

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Image Title Cat. nr. 1894 attribution[5] Current attribution Ref
 
Calvary 2 Pieter Aertsen Jan Van Amstel [1]
 
Saint Romuald Refuses Emperor Otto III Admission to the Church 3 Fra Angelico Fra Angelico [2]
 
Calvary 4 Antonello da Messina Antonello da Messina [3]
 
Bernardo Bembo, Statesman and Ambassador of Venice 5 Antonello da Messina Hans Memling [4]
 
The Temptation of Saint Anthony the Great 25 Jerome Bosch Jerome Bosch, circle of [5]
 
Madonna 28 Dirk Bouts Dirk Bouts [6]
 
Saint Christopher 29 Dirk Bouts Quentin Matsys [7]
 
Huy viewed from Ahin 30 Paul Bril Lucas van Valckenborch [8]
 
Saint Jerome and Donor 32 Petrus Christus Anonymous master, Southern Netherlands, first quarter of the 16th century [9]
 
The Dauphin François, Son of King François I of France 33 François Clouet Jean Clouet, circle of [10]
 
Adam and Eve 42 Lucas Cranach the Elder Lucas Cranach the Elder [11]
 
Charity 43 Lucas Cranach the Elder Lucas Cranach the Elder [12]
 
The Rest on the Flight into Egypt 47 Herri met de Bles Gerard David [13]
 
Landscape with the Flight into Egypt 64 Joachim Patinir Joachim Patinir [14]
 
Holy Kinship 123 Victor Dünwege and Heinrich Dünwege Derick Baegert [15]
 
Frederick III, Elector of Saxony 124 Albrecht Dürer Albrecht Dürer [16]
 
Saint Leonard Liberating Captives 127 and 128 Cornelis Engelbrechtsz Anonymous master, Southern Netherlands, Brussels, 4th quarter 15th century [17]
 
The Story of Saint Hubert 129 and 130 Cornelis Engelbrechtsz Anonymous master, Southern Netherlands, Brussels, 4th quarter 15th century [18]
 
Madonna Surrounded by Seraphim and Cherubim 132 Jean Fouquet Jean Fouquet [19]
 
Epiphany Triptych 168 to 170 Conrad Fyol Master of Frankfurt [20]
 
Saint Paul 176 Giotto Anonymous master, Italian, Tuscan, 1st quarter 15th century [21]
 
Saint Nicholas of Myra 177 Giotto Anonymous master, Italian, Tuscan, 1st quarter 15th century [22]
 
The Virgin, Saint John and the Three Maries 179 Jan Gossaert Gerard David [23]
 
Pilate and the Chief Priests 180 Jan Gossaert Gerard David [24]
 
Christ Sitting on the Cold Stone 181 Jan Gossaert Jan Gossaert, follower [25]
 
Portrait of a Woman 182 Jan Gossaert Catharina van Hemessen [26]
 
Madonna 183 Jan Gossaert Pauwels Coecke van Aelst [27]
 
Margareta of Austria 184 Jan Gossaert Bernard of Orley [28]
 
Pieter Gillis 198 Hans Holbein the Younger Quentin Matsys [29]
 
Portrait of a Man 199 Hans Holbein the Younger Hans Holbein the Younger [30]
 
The Engagement 202 Lucas van Leyden Lucas van Leyden [31]
 
David Playing his Harp for Saul 203 Lucas van Leyden Lucas van Leyden [32]
 
The Evangelists 204-6 Lucas van Leyden Lucas van Leyden [33]
 
The Adoration of the Magi 207-210 Lucas van Leyden Master of the Antwerp Adoration [34]
 
The Nativity 223 Justus of Ghent Albrecht Bouts [35]
 
Adoration of the Sacrament 224 Justus of Ghent Anonymous master, Southern Netherlands, 4th quarter 15th century [36]
 
Christ Salvator Mundi and Mary at Prayer 241-242 Quentin Matsys Quentin Matsys [37]
 
Saint Mary Magdalen 243 Quentin Matsys Quentin Matsys [38]
 
The City Tax Collector 244 Quentin Matsys Marinus van Reymerswale [39]
 
Altarpiece of the Joiners’ Guild 245-249 Quentin Matsys Quentin Matsys [40]
 
Man of Sorrows 250 Quentin Matsys Albrecht Bouts [41]
 
Mary and Joseph Find no Lodgings in Bethlehem 251 Jan Massys Jan Massys [42]
 
The Healing of Tobit 252 Jan Massys Jan Massys [43]
 
Portrait of a Monk 253 Hans Memling Anonymous master, Southern Netherlands, 2nd half 15th century [44]
 
Philippe de Croy 254 Hans Memling Rogier van der Weyden [45]
 
Diptych of Christiaan de Hondt, Abbot at Ten Duinen 255-256 and 530-531 Hans Memling Master of 1499 [46]
 
Orsini Polyptych 257-260 Simone Martini Simone Martini [47]
 
Deipara Virgo 262 Jan Mostaert Ambrosius Benson [48]
 
Portrait of a man 263 Jan Mostaert Jan Gossaert, follower of [49]
 
Portrait of a woman 264 Jan Mostaert Ambrosius Benson, copy after [50]
 
Calvary 325 Jan van Scorel Master of the Von Groote Adoration [51]
 
Portrait of a young man 341 Lambert Lombard Northern Netherlands, first half 16th century [52]
 
The Last Judgment 380 Crispin Van den Broeck Crispin Van den Broeck [53]
 
The Seven Sorrows of Mary 383-389 Gerard Van der Meire Master of Hoogstraeten [54]
 
The Seven Sacraments 393-395 Rogier van der Weyden Rogier van der Weyden [55]
 
The Annunciation 396 Rogier van der Weyden Rogier van der Weyden [56]
 
Philip the Good 397 Rogier van der Weyden Rogier van der Weyden [57]
 
Saint Barbara 410 Jan van Eyck Jan van Eyck [58]
 
Madonna at the Fountain 411 Jan van Eyck Jan van Eyck [59]
 
Madonna Surrounded by Saint George, Saint Donatianus of Reims and the Donor Canon Van der Paele 412 Jan van Eyck Jan van Eyck, after [60]
 
Calling of Matthew 425 Jan Sanders van Hemessen Marinus van Reymerswale [61]
 
The Christ-Child 459 Bernard van Orley Joos van Cleve [62]
 
Portrait of a Man 460 Bernard van Orley Albert Cornelis [63]
 
Triptych with Donors 461-462 Bernard van Orley Barthel Bruyn the Elder [64]
 
Madonna 463 Bernard van Orley and Joachim Patinir Southern Netherlands, first half 16th century [65]
 
Saint Leonard of Noblac 515 Unknown master German School, 1st quarter 15th century [66]
 
Coronation of Mary 516 Unknown master Austria, 4th quarter 14th century [67]
 
Madonna with Two Donors 517-518 Unknown master Southern Netherlands, 4th quarter 15th century [68]
 
Calvary of Hendrik van Rijn 519 Unknown master Northern Netherlands, Utrecht?, 1363 [69]
 
Madonna with Angels and Saints 520 Unknown master Florence, 2nd half 14th century [70]
 
The Seven Sorrows of Mary 521 Unknown master Bernard van Orley [71]
 
Portrait of a Young Man 522 Unknown master Barthel Bruyn the Elder [72]
 
Triptych of Pompeius Occo and his Wife Gerbrich Claesdr 523-525 Unknown master Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen [73]
 
Portrait of a Man 526 Unknown master Barthel Bruyn the Elder [74]
 
Resurrection of Christ 527 Unknown master Barthel Bruyn the Elder [75]
 
Christ Sitting on the Cold Stone and other Scenes of the Passion 528 Unknown master Southern Netherlands, early 16th century [76]
 
Festival of the Archers 529 Unknown master Master of Frankfurt [77]
 
Before the Crucifixion 532 Unknown master Cornelis Engebrechtsz. [78]
 
Stairway to Heaven 533 Unknown master Master of the Amsterdam Death of Mary [79]
 
Calvary 534 Unknown master Master of the Amsterdam Death of Mary [80]
 
Madonna with Angels 535 Unknown master Master of the Holy Blood [81]
 
The Baptism of Christ 536 Unknown master Marcellus Coffermans [82]
 
Portrait of a Man 537 Unknown master Michel Sittow [83]
[[File:|center|120px]] ' NN Unknown master [[]], circle of []
  1. Unknown: Philip the Good[84]
  2. Unknown: Portrait of a Gentleman, current attribution Rogier van der Weyden[85]
  3. Unknown: John the Fearless[86]
  4. Unknown: A Canon[87]
  5. Unknown: A Man Praying[88]
  6. Unknown: Portrait of a Gentleman, current attribution Corneille de la Haye[89]
  7. Unknown: A Saint Praying[90]
  8. Unknown: Gabriel Cambry[91]
  9. Unknown: Portrait of a Gentleman, current attribution Corneille de la Haye[92]
  10. Unknown: Francis Sonnius: current attribution Frans Pourbus I[93]
  11. Unknown: Mater Dolorosa[94]
  12. Unknown: William I of Orange-Nassau: current attribution Adriaen Thomasz. Key[95]
  13. Unknown: The Holy Family[96]
  14. Unknown: Virgin and Child appearing to Constantine the Great, currently "attributed to Jan Mostaert"[97]
  15. Unknown: Blessed Virgin, current attribution School of Master of 1499[98]
  16. Unknown: Portrait of a Gentleman, current attribution Jacob Cornelisz[99]
  17. Unknown: Portrait of a Lady, current attribution Conrad Faber von Kreuznach[100]
  18. Unknown: Blessed Virgin, triptych, current attribution Master of the Antwerp Triptych of Mary[101]
  19. Unknown: Portrait of a Gentleman, Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen[102]
  20. Unknown: Christ taken down from the Cross,Quinten Massijs[103]
  21. Unknown: A Girl teasing an Old Man,Quinten Massijs[104]
  22. Unknown: A Banker,Marinus van Reymerswale[105]
  23. Unknown: Christ Bearing the Cross,Master of Frankfurt[106]
  24. Unknown: Christ Bearing the Cross,Bernard van Orley[107]
  25. Unknown: Afflicto Virgo: current attribution Jan Gossaert(??)[108]
  26. Unknown: Entombment: current attribution Master of Hoogstraeten[109]
  27. Unknown: Ecce Homo[110]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b "Ertborn, Florentius Josephus ridder van". Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woordenboek. Deel 6 (in Dutch). A. W. Sijthoff. 1924.
  2. ^ a b c Rademakers, Anna (2020). "Florent van Ertborn, burgemeester en kunstverzamelaar". Moederstad en vaderland: Nationale identiteit en lokale trots in de schilderswereld van het Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden (1815-1839) (in Dutch). Verloren. ISBN 9789087048396.
  3. ^ De verzameling Ridder Florent van Ertborn in het Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten te Antwerpen. Antwerp: Verzekeringsmaatschappij van de Schelde n.v. 1971.
  4. ^ "Collecting Early Netherlandish Paintings in Europe and the United States". Early Netherlandish Paintings: rediscovery, Reception and Research. Amsterdam University Press. 2017. ISBN 9789048505227.
  5. ^ Catalogue of the Pictures and Sculptures in the Royal Museum of Antwerp. Antwerp: Administrative Council of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. 1894.


Category:1784 births Category:1840 deaths Category:Art collectors from Antwerp Category:Mayors of Antwerp, Belgium Category:King's and Queen's Commissioners of Utrecht