Fortress Island Pampus
The Antwerp draughtsman Jan Peeters was known for his ship drawings.
This etching appeared in the volume: "Thooneel der Steden ende Sterckten van t'Vereenight Nederlandt met d'aengrensende Plaetsen soo in Brabandt Vlaenderen als enen Rhijn en elders verovert door de Waepenen der Groot-moghende Heeren Staeten onder het gheley vanande seer Edele Hooghghebore Princen van Oranien".
Edited by Gaspar Bouttats at Antwerp. Antwerp; 1674
Index
Just a drawing of Pampus made by a volunteer
Where have the Pampus scenes gone?
During the 2001 New Year's reception, I was asked by the then director if I would like to paint a Pampus scene on some new canteen tables. He thought that would be fun and, of course, it was a challenge for me because I had never received a painting assignment before. He wanted it done before the opening of the season that year. I made it clear to him that it would be very soon to have eleven tables ready. In the end it took me about a year. Many a visitor could admire the tables in the canteen of the former "Ship's Camel" (the reception center on the embankment). But later in 2004, when the "Scheepskameel" really had to be replaced by a new reception center due to age, the tables were moved to one of the rooms in the fort because, unfortunately, they no longer matched (in terms of color scheme and shape) the new interior of the new reception center, the "Pampus Pavilion." In itself, of course, no problem because they were still regularly used by the caterer for parties and celebrations at the fort after all. But as time went on, they disappeared more and more into the background. That is, somewhere in storage in the fortress and were no longer used. The legs were screwed out from under them and the tabletops disappeared into the wood storage in one of the dormitories we use as storage. In other words, no one can see those tables anymore. Moreover, the damp storage is not good for the condition of the paintings. I have already proposed several times during the annual volunteer meetings to saw the scenes (they are about an A4 size) from the tabletops so that I can restore them. Because they have suffered a lot from the moisture in the fortress. Then, after restoration, they can be hung in the fort again so visitors can admire them. I have meanwhile cut the scenes out of the tables myself. They are now at my home so I can start restoring them.
© 2000 PCL