The 1872 novel A Dog of Flanders introduced the world to Nello and Patrasche, a poor orphan boy and the abandoned dog who becomes is best friend. The story culminates outside the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp, Belgium, which is where the Nello and Patrasche Sculpture by Batist Vermeulen resides.
A Dog of Flanders tells the story of the orphan Nello who befriends the street dog Patrasche. Dreaming of being a famous artist like his idol Peter Paul Rubens, the two take refuge in the cathedral after being wrongly accused of causing a fire. They are found beneath the work of Reubens that still dominates the cathedral.
Written by English author Marie Louise de la Ramée under her pseudonym “Ouida,” the novel was famous in Japan long before it was embraced in Belgium. Eventually, the story was more widely recognized and a plaque was installed near the Cathedral of Our Lady in the 1980s. Eventually, this marker gave way to the marble and stone Nello and Patrache Sculpture that now defines the area.
The piece features marble sculptures of Nello and Patrache in each other’s arms. Square cobblestones are spread up and over the figures like a blanket over them, alluding to the final scene in A Dog of Flanders which takes place inside the cathedral itself.
Batist Vermeulen is Flemish sculptor from Gent. He explained that the piece was designed to convey the invulnerability of the friendship between Nello and Patrache. The blanket provides protection from the harsh world that has turned away from them. They are absorbed by the street but their friendship will endue.
Mentioned as a new symbol for Antwerp, the Nello and Patrache Sculpture has literally become part of the city, signifying the deep connection of the story to the region. The setup and materials of the sculpture allow audiences to interact with it physically or simply admire it from afar, allowing it to resonate deeply in their hearts and minds.
