St Walburga's Church

You may never have heard of Vigor Boucquet, a painter who lived and worked in Veurne all his life. It is quite obvious, therefore, to find his work in the St Walburga's Church. But make no mistake, his oeuvre can also be seen in the most prominent museums in the world, including the Louvre in Paris.

This canvas (circa 1663) was intended for the altar of the Brotherhood of Faithful Souls, which had recently been founded by Pastor Jacob de Wieu. Members prayed to ask for God's mercy for souls in purgatory. The rather bloody scene shows Christ standing on a fountain in purgatory. In the foreground, two angels are lifting two female figures out of the fire. The canvas was restored in 1905 at the behest of the de Wieu family. The Veurne painter Vigor Boucquet was known as a portraitist and his work is on display in a number of churches in West Flanders.