The statue of Alva was a bronze effigy of Fernando Álvarez de Toledo that stood in the citadel of Antwerp from 1571 to 1574. This five-metre-high work by Jacob Jonghelinck was melted down in 1576 but remained present in the culture of remembrance for a long time. In 1572, William of Orange made an allusion to it in Germaniam inferiorem libertati vindicantis ad ordines et populum denuntiatio and a satirical print appeared in Amsterdam. The pompous symbol of occupation did not earn Alva's gratitude in Spain either. After his recall, governor Requesens had the statue removed on 9 June 1574. In the Netherlands, a Beggars' medal was struck for this event, with a falling Satan on the reverse. Under Requesens, the downed statue was transported to Mechelen in 1576 to be melted down into artillery again. According to a legend, the statue was smashed to pieces in 1577 during the storming of the citadel. The people of Antwerp allegedly had the fragments remodelled into a crucifix by Jan Cauthals II in 1635. Michel Marie Charles (Karel) Verlat (Antwerp, 24 November 1824 - there, 23 October 1890) was a Flemish painter.
Art for sale. Shop with photos and art as wall decoration. Posters, metal (aluminium or steel), glass, canvas, photo print, wood, framed, canvas, photo wallpaper or garden canvas.
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