The Goudbloem (marigold) was a

chamber of rhetoric Chambers of rhetoric () were dramatic societies in the Low Countries. Their members were called Rederijkers (singular Rederijker), from the French word 'rhétoricien', and during the 15th and 16th centuries were mainly interested in dramas and l ...

, a society to promote poetry and drama, that dated back to the 15th century in

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

.A. A. Keersmaekers, ''Geschiedenis van de Antwerpse Rederijkerskamers in de jaren 1585–1635'' (Aalst, 1952) It was one of three drama guilds in the city, the other two being the '' Violieren'' and the '' Olyftack''. It ceased to exist around 1654. The Violieren and Olyftack merged in 1660, and survived until 1762.

History

The Goudbloem had particular links to the urban aristocracy (patricians) and officeholders, while the Violieren was associated with artists and intellectuals (and had ties to the

Guild of St Luke 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 Four Evangelists, Evangelist Saint Luke, Luke, the patron sa ...

) and the Olyftack primarily consisted of merchants and tradesmen. The earliest mention of the society is of a performance in 1490, after which the city magistrates granted the chamber an annual subsidy of £3 Brabant (the same amount received by the Violieren). The chamber competed in the ''Landjuweel'' (a rhetoric competition open to contenders from throughout the

Duchy of Brabant The Duchy of Brabant, a Imperial State, state of the Holy Roman Empire, was established in 1183. It developed from the Landgraviate of Brabant of 1085–1183, and formed the heart of the historic Low Countries. The Duchy comprised part of the Bu ...

) in Mechelen in 1515, in Diest in 1521, in Brussels in 1532, in Mechelen in 1535, in Diest in 1541 and in Antwerp (hosted by the Violieren) in 1561. Of the three Antwerp chambers it was the one most closely associated with Protestant sympathies, and it took the longest to recover from the neglect and suppressions that followed the

Fall of Antwerp The fall of Antwerp ( ) on 17 August 1585 took place during the Eighty Years' War, after a siege lasting over a year from July 1584 until August 1585. The city of Antwerp was the focal point of the Protestant-dominated Dutch Revolt, but was fo ...

in 1585. The chamber was officially reinstituted in 1616, and took part in the rhetoric competition hosted by the Peoene (Peony) in

Mechelen Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...

on 3 May 1620, taking first prize for most triumphant decoration, second prize for most triumphant arrival through the streets, and third prize for best recitation. At the joyous reception in Antwerp of the new governor general,

Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand (also known as Don Fernando de Austria, Cardenal-Infante Fernando de España and as Ferdinand von Österreich; 16 May 1609 – 9 November 1641) was a Spanish and Portuguese prince (Infante of Spain, Infante of Portugal (u ...

, in 1635, the Goudbloem put on a tableau vivant intended to demonstrate "that the hope of all the Low Countries rests upon the Prince Cardinal". The last recorded public performance was in 1649, and there are no records of the chamber's existence after 1654.Anne-Laure Van Bruaene
"De Goudbloem"
in ''Repertorium van rederijkerskamers in de Zuidelijke Nederlanden en Luik 1400-1650'' (digital publication, 2005). Accessed 25 Jan. 2015. PodiumAntwerpseLandjuweel1561

Organisation

The leading officers of the chamber were the ''hooftman'', a sort of honorary president, the ''prince'', and the dean (''deken''). The fee-paying members, or ''gildebroeders'', enjoyed not only freedom from militia duty but the same type of social provision that most guilds provided: attendance at the funerals of deceased members, the provision of wedding presents for members getting married, and collections to support sick or impoverished members.

References

{{coord, 51.2203, N, 4.4059, E, source:wikidata, display=title Chamber of rhetoric History of Antwerp