Bruges No. 16 / Brugge
Image copyright © KIK-IRPA, Brussels (Belgium), 2026
CC-BY-4.0
Results: 4 records
human figure - head - 4
Scene Description: [cf. FontNotes]
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © KIK-IRPA, Brussels (Belgium), 2026
Image Source: digital image of a 1952 B&W photograph [cliché B136239]
Copyright Instructions: CC-BY-4.0
design element - architectural - arch-head - round - 12
Scene Description: three in each space between the four human heads
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © KIK-IRPA, Brussels (Belgium), 2026
Image Source: digital image of a 1952 B&W photograph [cliché B136239]
Copyright Instructions: CC-BY-4.0
information
Scene Description: showing the museum record for the object
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Gruuthusemuseum te Brugge, 2026
Image Source: screencapture of the museum record [Gruuthuuse.pdf]
Copyright Instructions: Assumed permission
view of object
Scene Description: [cf. FontNotes]
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © KIK-IRPA, Brussels (Belgium), 2026
Image Source: digital image of a 1952 B&W photograph [cliché B136239]
Copyright Instructions: CC-BY-4.0
INFORMATION
Font ID: 26333TVO
Object Type: Baptismal Font1?
Font Century and Period/Style: 12th century (?), Romanesque
Cognate Fonts: [cf. FontNotes]
Museum: Gruuthusemuseum te Brugge, VI.O.0251
Font Location in Church: fragment in a museum
Church Address: [NB: address & coordinates given for the museum] Dijver 17, 8000 Brugge, Belgium -- Tel.: +32 50 44 87 43
Site Location: West-Vlaanderen / Flandre Occidentale, Vlaanderen / Flandres, Belgium, Europe
Directions to Site: The museum is located in the city centre
Additional Comments: re-purposed mortar? font? / stoup? an object that, although probably not a stoup or font, may have been used as one at some point [cf. FontNotes]
Font Notes:
Click to view
An object listed as a holy-water stoup, mortar, and illustrated in BALaT KIK-IRPA [https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/103507] [accessed 22 April 2026]: "wijwatervat, vijzel [...] Date: 1101 - 1200 [...] hoogte: 12 cm; diameter: 30 cm [...] De (oorspronkelijke ?) functie zou eerder een vijzel weerspiegelen : de 2 uitgiettuiten gecombineerd met de (aanzet van) 2 handvatten & de versiering. Zie: VERBRUGGHE G., « Deux mortiers en pierre dans la forteresse de Poilvache (comm. d’Yvoir, Namur) avec une nouvelle attestation mosane d’une production décorée à diffusion jusqu’au Danemark ? », in Quoi de neuf à Poilvache ? Une forteresse médiévale en vallée mosane. Catalogue de l’exposition organisée à la Maison du patrimoine médiéval mosan. Mars-novembre 2018 [en ligne], Bouvignes-Dinant : maison du patrimoine médiéval mosan, coll. « Cahiers de la MPMM », 12, pp. 167-174. / VERBRUGGHE G., « Les mortiers en pierre : ustensiles méconnus, utilisés dès l’âge du Fer, y compris dans les Ardennes », in SMOLDEREN A., CATTELAIN P. (éd.), Deuxièmes Journées d’actualité de la recherche archéologique en Ardenne-Eifel. Actes du colloque tenu à Viroinval, 17-19 octobre 2019, Treignes-Viroinval : éd. du Cedarc/Musée du Malgré-Tout, coll. « Archéo-Situla 39/2020 », pp. 207-220. / VERBRUGGHE G., « Stenen vijzels 2018-2020 : internationale handel, mortierstocken en felle vrouwen in het laat-middeleeuwse Vlaanderen », in Archaeologia Mediaevalis, Chronique/Kroniek [en ligne], Belgique, vol. 44, Gent : s.n., pp. 136-140."
A communication to BSI from Pol Herman (e-mail of 25 March 2026) informs: "Bruges, Gruuthuse museum, Romanesque baptismal font? In the Gruuthuse museum is an object under catalogue number VI.O.0251, that KIK-IRPA considers to be a fragment of a 12th century baptismal font
https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/103507. The provenance is unknown. The art historian Geert Verbrugghe of Centre archéologique Châlons-en-Champagne at Inrap Grand-Est (France) has pointed out that the vessel has all characteristics of a Romanesque mortar. Although the decoration (arches) is unique, he has identified mortars with similar heads. Such mortars were also used as stoup and fonts. For example 20872GER, 25523SAC, 25522CAM. Therefore, it cannot be excluded that the vessel entered the museum as “a font”."
A communication to BSI from Pol Herman (e-mail of 25 March 2026) informs: "Bruges, Gruuthuse museum, Romanesque baptismal font? In the Gruuthuse museum is an object under catalogue number VI.O.0251, that KIK-IRPA considers to be a fragment of a 12th century baptismal font
https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/103507. The provenance is unknown. The art historian Geert Verbrugghe of Centre archéologique Châlons-en-Champagne at Inrap Grand-Est (France) has pointed out that the vessel has all characteristics of a Romanesque mortar. Although the decoration (arches) is unique, he has identified mortars with similar heads. Such mortars were also used as stoup and fonts. For example 20872GER, 25523SAC, 25522CAM. Therefore, it cannot be excluded that the vessel entered the museum as “a font”."
Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Pol Herman for bringing this font to our attention and for his help documenting it
COORDINATES
UTM: 31U 515718 5672646
MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS
Material: stone
Font Shape: cylindrical
Basin Interior Shape: round
Basin Exterior Shape: round
Drainage Notes: no lining
Diameter (includes rim): 20 cm*
Basin Total Height: 12 cm*
Notes on Measurements: * [cf. FontNotes]
REFERENCES
- KIK-IRPA, BALaT KIK-IRPA, 2024. URL: https://balat.kikirpa.be/.