Nello en Patrasche

In the shadow of the cathedral, at the centre of the Handschoenmarkt, lies a marble sculpture of young Nello and his faithful dog Patrasche. The cobblestones of the square drape over them like a blanket. 

Nello and Patrasche are the main characters of the moving story A Dog of Flanders by Ouida (pseudonym of the English writer Marie Louise de la Ramée). Nello is a poor boy living with his grandfather in Hoboken. He finds the mistreated dog Patrasche in the streets and takes care of him. The two become inseparable companions. Despite poverty and many hardships, they remain loyal to one another. The story ends tragically when Nello and Patrasche, exhausted and hopeless, die together in Antwerp Cathedral, in the shadow of the works of Nello’s great idol, Rubens. 

In early 2016, the city of Antwerp launched a competition. Given the international renown of the English novel, which is largely set in Antwerp, the time had come to commemorate the duo. The sculpture was installed on the Handschoenmarkt as a replacement for the commemorative stone of Nello and Patrasche from 2003. From the ten submissions, Ghent-based visual artist Batist Vermeulen was selected as the winner. 

Batist Vermeulen (b. 1981) is a multidisciplinary artist. He specializes in painting, sculpture, and illustration. His work often has a figurative character and incorporates references to pop culture and mass production.