January 08, 2013

Erasmus and Fons


These two form a perfect pair. 
There is Fons, Fons Sapientiae. The once very popular Flemish first name Fons, combined with the Latin word Wisdom, is a  humorous reference to the university's motto 'Sedes Sapientiae' (the Seat of Wisdom). Fons is reading or studying a book while he is pouring a delicious Belgian beer into his head. The sculptor is Jef Claerbout. 
The second statue, by sculptor René Rosseel,  represents the scholar and humanist Erasmus (1467-1536) who was a lecturer at the University of Leuven but is mostly known as the author of Lof der Zotheid (the Praise of Folly), a critical essay on 16th century life and customs.

http://www.vanderkrogt.net/statues/object.php?webpage=ST&record=bevb007

28 comments:

  1. leuk deze twee mannen. In Rotterdam heb je een monument Lof der Zotheid: Hier is een foto op mijn Flickr site:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/reisgekki/4691413824/in/set-72157621886910623

    groetjes Dietmut

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  2. Great statues! I particularly like the first one!! Definitely my kind of statue! Fun! Hope your week is going well, Anni! Enjoy!

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    Replies
    1. for some reason, Sylvia, I thought the first one would be the one you prefer :)

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  3. leuk die standbelden! heb ze eigenlijk nog nietin het echt gezien.
    groetjes, Hilde

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  4. Ik zie weer beelden van Leuven die ik niet ken.

    Groetjes,
    Filip

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  5. They do look like a great, time weathered pair.

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  6. Twee mooie standbeelden vooral onze Fons is gekend. Er bestaan zelfs chocolaatjes naar gemaakt.

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    Replies
    1. daar leer ik iets nieuws, moet er naar op zoek.. alleen in Leuven vermoed ik? een prachtonderwerp voor een nieuwe post op TiB! bedankt voor de tip!

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  7. ha, the first one is brilliant :)

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  8. de "Fons" spreekt me bijzonder aan...

    en " de lof der zotheid" lijkt me een tijdloos gegeven

    groeten

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    Replies
    1. ja, Willy, de combinatie van de twee 'deed' me wel iets

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  9. Fons... pure nostalgie naar mijn studententijd! Leuk!

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  10. Het eerste standbeeld is erg grappig. Erasmus is goed gekleed voor de winter (die er niet is).

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    Replies
    1. misschien komt die er nog aan (de winter, bedoel ik)?

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  11. I now have visions of Erasmus pouring beer into his hat...

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    Replies
    1. hum...could be provocative or inspiring to some, this kind of generalization :)

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  12. Fons brought back a lot of memories. I miss Belgium so much! Thank you for sharing.

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    Replies
    1. Happy to help you relive a little Belgium from time to time.

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  13. Hallo Anni,
    Toch maar liever Erasmus :-)
    Groetjes, Frans

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  14. Ciao Anni, divertente il tuo Fons, che studia ma nel contempo gogliardicamente si versa una birra in testa.
    Ciao, buona giornata.
    Antonella

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    Replies
    1. Ciao, Antonella, scusa la lunga assenza che non ho visitato tu blog. A presto!

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