Laurys Gillis

Laurys Gillis or Laurent Gillis (1688 in Antwerp – 1749 in Antwerp) was a Flemish sculptor who was active in Antwerp in the first half of the 18th century. He worked for a long time in the workshop of the prominent Antwerp sculptor Michiel van der Voort the Elder. He is known for statues of historical and biblical figures, Christian saints and allegorical respresentations.

Life He was baptized on 25 August 1688 in Antwerp as the son of the cobbler Jan Gillis, originally from Hoegaarden, and Maria Margareta Gantier. In the Guild year 1701-1702 he was registered under the name Louwerijs Gieles at the Guild of Saint Luke of Antwerp as a pupil of the prominent sculptor Michiel van der Voort the Elder (Antwerp 1667 – Antwerp 1737).

He married Helena Mattheyssens (Matthijssens) on 3 May 1712 in Antwerp. Gillis remained to work in the workshop of his master for more than 20 years and only registered as an independent master sculptor (beltsnyder) in the Antwerp Guild in the guild year 1721–1722.

Two of his sons, Joseph (Josephus) (Antwerp 1724 – Antwerp 1773) and Jan Baptist (Antwerp 1717 – 1752) also became sculptors. A third, Herman (Antwerp 1733 – Antwerp 1791), became a painter and director of the academy in Leuven. He died later that year.

Work Only a few works are attributed to the artist as most of his work was produced during his stay in the workshop of his master van der Voort and is therefore not specifically attributable to a specific artist. His master's workshop exported many works to the Dutch Republic and it is therefore likely that many of Gillis' important works were also shipped there. The statue was restored at the end of 2013. During the restoration an additional angel head was added to the gilded halo.

In 1740 he made a white marble statue for the Saint James' church in Antwerp. It represents John of Nepomuk with one angel holding a palm in his hand (now lost) and resting against a column, a symbol of steadfastness and another angel with his finger before his mouth, symbolising confessional secrecy. He made this statue five years after his teacher Michiel Van der Voort completed a similar statue for the St. Charles Borromeo Church of the Jesuits in Antwerp. The sculptures differ greatly in concept: whereas van der Voort shows the saint in a rather combative stance using the cross as a triumphal display, Gillis' saint is shown calmly contemplating Christ on the cross.

A Bust of Marcus Aurelius in terracotta, signed and dated 1739, is likely a study for a larger work.

Gillis also made small-scale works. Examples are the two small stone statues of putti, signed and dated 1743 (Sotheby's auction of 9 July 2008 lot 152). The figures appear to symbolise seasons: one has a basket of grapes behind him and is eating some grapes, which is likely an allegory of autumn, while the other has a wheat sheaf behind him and is holding a nest of birds, which is likely an allegory of summer.