Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on StumbleUpon

Église St-Nicolas, Brussels: High Altar

Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 31 July 2010 in Art & Design.

St Nicholas' high altar in Louis XVI style behind a beautiful rood screen from the 18th century. Also located are relics of St Nicholas and St Lawrence; the choir stalls are C18 works, too. This whole choir is an extension to the church from the 14th century.

(Here is another shot from a probaly better angle, but unfortunately too many violet and red tones.)

Phil David Alexander Morris from Saskatoon, Canada

Did not like the violet one at all, rather scary. This one is incredibly
beautiful, wonderful iron work in this masterpiece.

31 Jul 2010 3:57pm

@Phil David Alexander Morris: One of the quite rare samples of a surviving rood screen on the continent; in England a common sight.

Ted from South Wales, United Kingdom

so ornate!
Visited a cathedral today and seeing the quality of this piles the pressure on MS!

31 Jul 2010 9:25pm

@Ted: So where have you been..?

Christine Walsh from Astoria, NY, United States

Is the low alter for St. Nick decorated in red & white & green with little flashing lights and tinsel? This photo makes me want to break through the gate and pray for a new bike!

31 Jul 2010 10:57pm

@Christine Walsh: This is not your daddy's Santa! :-)

Japanalia from Yokohama, Japan

Sumptuous is the word! Ornate, but not unpleasantly so....all the art work in the screen and the wood panels against the walls and the altar itself....one has to appreciate it, not necessarily to like it.

1 Aug 2010 7:09am

@Japanalia: Other time, other taste. But one might sense that something was going to end here; the next style station was classicism.

Ronnie 2¢ from Atlantic Shores, United Kingdom

The detail pushes me into overload - but I guess it was meant to affect the sense.

3 Aug 2010 9:09pm

@Ronnie 2¢: We need many more of these churches. The purification programmes in the 1960s, that left empty naves and choirs, were a cultural crime at least.

Akarui from Kagoshima, Japan

Beautiful details especially on the gate and sense of depth until the altar.

4 Aug 2010 12:01am

@Akarui: This whole room was part of the church's extension in the 14th century.