Two Antwerp churches in background of Saint Norbert painting

Copages, from France, sells on 10 January 2018 a "Late 16th - Early 17th century" Saint Norbert of Xanten, estimated at 3,500 to 4,000 Euro.

The description correctly refers to his preachings in Antwerp and his founding of the order of the Premonstratensians. The painting shows the Antwerp Cathedral (to the left), and the tower of the Saint Michael's Abbey in Antwerp (which was founded by Saint Norbert) to the right. Interest in this painting will probably mainly come from Antwerp or people linked to the Premonstratensians, it isn't very interesting from a purely artistic point of view.

The same topic has been treated a few times, including the above anonymous drawing from the same period which fails to identify the Saint (information from the RKD, drawing from the Scottish National Gallery). It shows the same two church towers, though less architecturally correct. That the topic was popular in this period was because he wsa a Catholic saint preaching against schismatic "sects" (the Tanchelins for Saint Norbert, the Lutherans and other Protestant branches in the late 16th century). Antwerp had suffered badly under the religious wars.