Justus de Harduwijn
Encyclopedia
Justus de Harduwijn, also written as Hardwijn, Herdewijn, Harduyn or Harduijn (11 April 1582 - Oudegem, 21 June 1636), was a 17th-century Roman Catholic priest
and poet from the Southern Netherlands
. He was the poetic link between the Renaissance
and the Contrareformation in the Netherlands.
, intellectual family in Ghent
. His grandfather Thomas was a steward to Louis of Praet
. His father Franciscus owned a bookbinding
shop in Ghent and was a member of the Council of Flanders, the highest judicial college in the County of Flanders
. His father was a friend of writer Jan van der Noot who had introduced him to the French poets of La Pléiade
, and is said to have been the first translator of Anacreon
in Dutch. Justus' uncle, Dionysius de Harduwijn, was a historian, and Justus inherited his rich library. The humanist poet Maximiliaan de Vriendt was another uncle of his, and he was also related to Daniël Heinsius
.
De Harduwijn studied at the Jesuit college which was recently established in Ghent. Ca. 1600 he went to the Catholic University of Leuven
where he studied under Justus Lipsius
and in 1605 became a Bachelor in Law. Subsequently he studied theology
at the seminar
of Douai
. In April 1607 De Harduwijn was ordained a priest
, and in December of the same year he became the parish priest of Oudegem and Mespelare, functions which he occupied until his death in Oudegem in 1636.
of Aalst
. As a student, he composed the love sonnets De weerliicke liefde tot Roosemond, influenced by the poets of the Pléiade; it was the first book of sonnets written entirely in Dutch, while the earlier humanists writing in Latin. It was published anonymously in 1613 by Verdussen
in Antwerp, with the poet Guilliam Caudron as the editor.
Influenced by Henricus Calenus and Jacobus Boonen
, who would become his maecenas, De Harduwijn found his inspiration in the divine contemplations. Ut was the start of his renaissance
and contrareformation period. In 1614 he wrote Lof-Sanck des Heylich Cruys, a translation of a work by Calenus. In Goddelicke Lofsanghen, from 1620 and dedicated to Boonen, a number of earlier profane poems were reworked. The same year the biblical poetry of Den val en de Opstand van David/Leed-tuyghende Pasalmen was published as well.
His most important work of poetry, Goddelijcke Wenschen, appeared in 1629. It was a complete adaptation of the Pia desideria, a work from 1624 by the Jesuit Herman Hugo. In 1630 Cornelius Jansenius, who had just been promoted to professor in Leuven, called upon de Harduwijnto translate the contrareformational pamphlet Alexipharmacum in Dutch. Together with David Lindanus de Harduwijn wrote in 1635 Goeden Yever tot het Vaderland ter blijde inkomste van den Coninclijcken Prince Ferdinand van Oostenryck.
and the writer Johannes M. Schrant. During the 20th century, Oscar Dambre, a literary historian from Ghent, devoted several studies to de Harduwijn, and composer Arthur Meulemans put his text Clachte van Maria benevens het Kruis to music. Both in Ghent and in Sittard-Geleen
, a road is named after him.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and poet from the Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
. He was the poetic link between the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
and the Contrareformation in the Netherlands.
Life
De Harduwijn was born in a humanistHumanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
, intellectual family in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
. His grandfather Thomas was a steward to Louis of Praet
Louis of Praet
Louis of Praet, Louis of Flanders, Lord of Praet, or locally Lodewijk van Praet was a nobleman from the Low Countries and an important diplomat and statesman under the Emperor Charles V....
. His father Franciscus owned a bookbinding
Bookbinding
Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block.-Origins of the book:...
shop in Ghent and was a member of the Council of Flanders, the highest judicial college in the County of Flanders
County of Flanders
The County of Flanders was one of the territories constituting the Low Countries. The county existed from 862 to 1795. It was one of the original secular fiefs of France and for centuries was one of the most affluent regions in Europe....
. His father was a friend of writer Jan van der Noot who had introduced him to the French poets of La Pléiade
La Pléiade
The Pléiade is the name given to a group of 16th-century French Renaissance poets whose principal members were Pierre de Ronsard, Joachim du Bellay and Jean-Antoine de Baïf. The name was a reference to another literary group, the original Alexandrian Pleiad of seven Alexandrian poets and...
, and is said to have been the first translator of Anacreon
Anacreon
Anacreon was a Greek lyric poet, notable for his drinking songs and hymns. Later Greeks included him in the canonical list of nine lyric poets.- Life :...
in Dutch. Justus' uncle, Dionysius de Harduwijn, was a historian, and Justus inherited his rich library. The humanist poet Maximiliaan de Vriendt was another uncle of his, and he was also related to Daniël Heinsius
Daniel Heinsius
Daniel Heinsius was one of the most famous scholars of the Dutch Renaissance.-His youth and student years:...
.
De Harduwijn studied at the Jesuit college which was recently established in Ghent. Ca. 1600 he went to the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
where he studied under Justus Lipsius
Justus Lipsius
Justus Lipsius was a Southern-Netherlandish philologist and humanist. Lipsius wrote a series of works designed to revive ancient Stoicism in a form that would be compatible with Christianity. The most famous of these is De Constantia...
and in 1605 became a Bachelor in Law. Subsequently he studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the seminar
Seminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
of Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
. In April 1607 De Harduwijn was ordained a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, and in December of the same year he became the parish priest of Oudegem and Mespelare, functions which he occupied until his death in Oudegem in 1636.
Work
Justus de Harduwijn became a member of the chamber of rhetoricChamber of rhetoric
Chambers of rhetoric were dramatic societies in the Low Countries. Their members are called Rederijkers , from the french word 'rhétoricien', and during the 15th and 16th centuries were mainly interested in dramas and lyrics...
of Aalst
Aalst, Belgium
Aalst is a city and municipality on the Dender River, 19 miles northwest from Brussels. It is located in the Flemish province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the city of Aalst itself and the villages of Baardegem, Erembodegem, Gijzegem, Herdersem, Hofstade,...
. As a student, he composed the love sonnets De weerliicke liefde tot Roosemond, influenced by the poets of the Pléiade; it was the first book of sonnets written entirely in Dutch, while the earlier humanists writing in Latin. It was published anonymously in 1613 by Verdussen
Verdussen
Verdussen was a dynasty of printers in Antwerp, starting with Hieronymus Verdussen in the late sixteenth century, and ending around 1800. Many other printers in Antwerp were also related to the Verdussens through marriage. They specialized in religious works and works in Spanish, but also published...
in Antwerp, with the poet Guilliam Caudron as the editor.
Influenced by Henricus Calenus and Jacobus Boonen
Jacobus Boonen
Jacobus Boonen was the fourth Archbishop of Mechelen .Boonen studied at the University of Leuven and began a legal career....
, who would become his maecenas, De Harduwijn found his inspiration in the divine contemplations. Ut was the start of his renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
and contrareformation period. In 1614 he wrote Lof-Sanck des Heylich Cruys, a translation of a work by Calenus. In Goddelicke Lofsanghen, from 1620 and dedicated to Boonen, a number of earlier profane poems were reworked. The same year the biblical poetry of Den val en de Opstand van David/Leed-tuyghende Pasalmen was published as well.
His most important work of poetry, Goddelijcke Wenschen, appeared in 1629. It was a complete adaptation of the Pia desideria, a work from 1624 by the Jesuit Herman Hugo. In 1630 Cornelius Jansenius, who had just been promoted to professor in Leuven, called upon de Harduwijnto translate the contrareformational pamphlet Alexipharmacum in Dutch. Together with David Lindanus de Harduwijn wrote in 1635 Goeden Yever tot het Vaderland ter blijde inkomste van den Coninclijcken Prince Ferdinand van Oostenryck.
Influence
During his life, de Harduwijn was one of the most read poets of the Netherlands. He became mostly forgotten after his death but was rediscovered in the 19th century by Jan Frans WillemsJan Frans Willems
Jan Frans Willems , Flemish writer and father of the Flemish movement.Willems was born in the Belgian city of Boechout, while that was under French occupation. He started his career in the office of a notary in Antwerp....
and the writer Johannes M. Schrant. During the 20th century, Oscar Dambre, a literary historian from Ghent, devoted several studies to de Harduwijn, and composer Arthur Meulemans put his text Clachte van Maria benevens het Kruis to music. Both in Ghent and in Sittard-Geleen
Sittard-Geleen
Sittard-Geleen is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It was formed in 2001 from the former municipalities Sittard, Geleen and Born....
, a road is named after him.
Sources
- Oscar Dambre, Justus de Harduwijn in the Nationaal Biografisch Woordenboek, part 1, col. 599-604, Brussels, 1964