Pieter Appelmans monument

The monument to Pieter Appelmans consists of a sculptural group staged like a tableau vivant, showing four figures at work. At the bottom, three stonemasons are busy carving stones; above them, on a wall under construction, stands a man holding a measuring instrument in his left hand. His right hand points upward – toward the true subject of this monument: the Cathedral of Our Lady. 

The man on the wall represents Pieter Appelmans (1373–1434), one of the master builders of Antwerp’s cathedral. In the 15th century, painted portraits were reserved only for the very wealthy, so there is no historical reference for Appelmans’ appearance. The statue therefore does not honour Appelmans as an individual likeness, but rather his historical achievement: his role in the construction of the cathedral. 

The initiative for a monument to Appelmans came from artist Jef Lambeaux, also the creator of the Brabo Fountain. Lambeaux worked together with Antwerp painter Karel Verlat and was supported by patron and former alderman Arthur Van den Nest. 

Van den Nest became the owner of the design, had the sculptural group cast at his own expense, and donated it to the city. The municipal council accepted the gift on 22 June 1904 and scheduled the inauguration for 1905. Several trial placements were tested, but the council could not reach a consensus on the location. The monument was therefore stored for years in a city warehouse. 

Finally, in 1934, architect Emiel Van Averbeke was commissioned to unite the four figures into a single group at the spot originally chosen by the artist: in the shadow of the Cathedral of Our Lady. The monument was inaugurated on 12 May 1935 in the presence of King Leopold III and Queen Astrid, during their visit to Antwerp. 

Jef Lambeaux (1852–1908) was a sculptor trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. His oeuvre is characterized by a Neo-Baroque formal language and consists mainly of sculptures and portrait busts.