The Violieren was a chamber of rhetoric that dates back to the 15th century in Antwerp, when it was a social drama society with close links to the Guild of Saint Luke. It was one of three drama guilds in the city, the other two being the Goudbloem and the Olyftack. In 1660 the Violieren merged with former rival Olyftack, and in 1762 the society was dissolved altogether.
Poem as rebus on a shield, 1681, Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Antwerp. Painted for the Violieren by the painters Hendrick van Balen, Jan Brueghel the Elder, Frans Francken II, and Sebastian Vrancx
Printed invitation to other chambers of rhetoric by the Antwerp Violieren, for the 1561 Landjuweel
The emblem of the Violieren van Antwerpen for the Landjuweel
Stage of the 1561 Landjuweel
The Guild of Saint Luke was the most common name for a city guild for painters and other artists in early modern Europe, especially in the Low Countries. They were named in honor of the Evangelist Luke, the patron saint of artists, who was identified by John of Damascus as having painted the Virgin's portrait.
Jan Gossaert, St. Luke Painting the Madonna (c. 1520–1525), Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin, c. 1435–1440. 137.5 x 110.8cm. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. This was the classic subject for paintings given to the guilds
The Governors of the Haarlem Guild of St. Luke in 1675. Jan de Bray painted himself second from the left. Surprisingly, fewer such group portraits exist for painters than other Guild occupations.
Printed invitation to other chambers of rhetoric by the Antwerp Violieren, for a landjuweel event, lasting 19 days, in 1561
