Heel / Catualium / Heel en Panheel

Noted and illustrated with measurements in Ligtenberg (1915). Catalogued and illustrated in Ghislain (2009) as a baptismal font of the Namurois group, filiation Beauvechain, made of limestone (calcaire viséen ou dévonien) ca. 1155-1160; the surface of the basin top is decorated with the usual flat moulding around the opening of the inner basin, and foliated motifs of two types, matched against the opposite ones in the corner spandrels; the sides of the basin have: 1)a horned fabulous creature head [a devil?] with an acanthus vine stemming from its mouth; 2)an acanthus vine with arum fruit forming arches to the sides of a set of nested palmettes in the centre; 3)an acanthus vine with ondulating tendrils stemming from a vase-like centre [NB: the first three sides use an odd hook-like device at intervals that gives the impression they hold or support the tendrils of the vines; very playful!]; 4)a blank arcade of six round arches the supports of which end in crosses at the bottom; thee spandrels of the arcade have tiny foliage motifs; the cylindrical pedestal base appears plain and is the only support; the underbowl has the usual large leaves at the angles, but here with additional scrolls on the sides; the lower base has very pronounced and ornate spur-like leaf motifs at the angles. There is repaired damage on the upper surface of the basin that is probably related to the anchorage of an earlier dont cover; repaired with cement (?). No cover present. Ghislain (ibid.) describes this font aptly as "un luxueux fleuron de la production namuroise", and remarks on similarities with the fonts of Cousolre, Jeuk, the Dr Mercken font at the M.R.A.H., Spiennes, Nivelles and the disappeared font of Neuf-Berquin.