Expo Hansche. Master in stucco
Look up at Park Abbey. You will see a magnificent ceiling full of reliefs: angels, floral motifs and biblical scenes. This three-dimensional work is by Jan Christiaen Hansche. He was a 17th-century master of lime stucco.
But who was this man? How was he able to create ceilings that belong to the most impressive heritage in Flanders and Western Europe? For the first time, Museum PARCUM is telling his complete story.
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A unique technique
Stucco carving was not new, but Hansche’s technique was. Many craftsmen applied lime stucco directly onto the ceiling. Hansche did it differently: he carved his reliefs out of the stucco. This technique required precision and perfect timing. Layer by layer, he worked the material. In this way, the figures took shape and depth emerged.
A Flemish Master
Hansche was mainly active in the Southern Netherlands in the 17th century. Besides Park Abbey, his work can be found in castles such as Horst en Modave, and in churches such as Sint-Carolus Borromeuskerk (Saint Charles Borromeo Church) in Antwerp and Sint-Niklaaskerk (Saint Nicholas Church) in Perk. His stucco ceilings tell biblical stories and show mythical scenes at the height of the Baroque.