Nello and Patrasche is without a doubt the most beautiful story about Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of the little country Belgium in Europe.
Nello is a young orphan who has an incredible friendship with a street dog named Patrasche. Both of them are homeless and they stay a lot in the cathedral of Antwerp where they admire the works of Rubens, the world-famous painter. After a series of mishaps both day on Christmas Eve from starvation and the freezing temperature. The cathedral which was the only home they have ever known becomes the spot where they take their farewell from this cruel world, together as always, like the undivided friends they were. It is perhaps one of the saddest Christmas stories in the whole world, but people are touched by this story even until today.
The story of Nello and Patrasche may be set in Flanders, it was first published in 1872 in Great Britain: ‘A dog of Flanders’ and it is as you might have guessed based on a true story. The story unfolds in the towns of Antwerp and Hoboken in Flanders, both the cathedral and the painter Pieter Paul Rubens have a major part in the book, of course, next to the little boy and his most loyal companion in the world.
The Flemish artist Batist Vermeulen was asked by the city of Antwerp to sculpt a statue in remembrance and celebration of this story and the protagonists. In 2016 the endearing statue was erected in the shadow of the cathedral and is a tribute to Nello and Patrasche who really lived and died there, but it is also a reminder that there is nothing worse than loneliness and that there is even in the 21st century ugly things like poverty and abandoned people in our societies.
This atypical Christmas story has captured the hearts of many people especially in Japan, where this story is the most told story to the youth. The mix of true friendship, unconditional love, and a tragic end is what great stories are all about.
The artist Vermeulen has captured not only the spirit of the story but also the atmosphere of Flemish traditions. Historical evidence proves that both Nello and Patrasche were real. The people of Antwerp have closed them in their hearts for centuries. The statue is a fitting modern structure to an ancient story and it shows that emotions are timeless. The pavement that is upon them as a blanket is symbolic of the city of Antwerp covering them with their respect and love. Big stories are sometimes found in little corners…