Hendrik Frans Verbrugghen

He was born into a family from which in the 17th and 18th century a number of prominent sculptors emerged who were mainly active in Antwerp.

His father, the sculptor Pieter Verbrugghen I, was one of the principal representatives of Flemish high baroque sculpture.

In 1670, Verbrugghen and Sebastiaen van den Eynde were "specifically invited for their advice" to travel to Mechelen as consultants for works on the Cathedral there.

[3] Hendrik Frans Verbruggen was active during the Baroque period when the Catholic Church was the main sponsor of artists in the Southern Netherlands.

He therefore worked principally on religious commissions and became one of the leading sculptors of the late Baroque church furniture.

[5] In 1684 he created two limewood side altars for the Chapel of the Church of Our Lady of Good Will in Duffel.

The pulpit allegorically represents the four continents sitting on a globe accompanied by their symbolic animals.

The didactic theme is obvious: faith is spreading across the world thanks to the Jesuits inspired by the Holy Spirit.