Davy Depelchin

Publication at the occasion of the re-opening of the museum Constantin Meunier. This museum is located in Ixelles in the house-cum-studio of artist, painter, sculptor and draughtsman Constantin Meunier (1831-1905). The items on display trace more specifically the evolution of the master between 1875 and 1905, this "second life" in his own words, during which his Realist talent focused more on the social and industrial aspects of Belgium, first through painting and drawing and then, from 1885 onwards, with his return to sculpture to become one of the greatest artists of the genre. Paintings like The Broken Pot are echoed by important sculptures like The Hammerer, a whole people of plaster and bronze that deeply marked his day and continued to influence Realist art well into the first decades of the 20th century. History of the Collection Constantin Meunier (1831-1905) had this beautiful house-cum-studio built towards the end of his life. Sheltering an extensive collection of over 700 works, the house was acquired by the Belgian state in 1936 and opened to the public in 1939. Attached to the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, and subsequently renovated, it has since 1986 presented a selection of about 150 works and documents.

While Belgian artist James Ensor (1860–1949) is forever associated with his seaside hometown of Ostend, it was in the bustling capital of Brussels that he thrived as an artist and emerged as a central figure in the European avant-garde. The young painter settled in the city in 1877 and considered Brussels his second home until the turn of the century. This lavishly illustrated book explores the allure of Brussels, taking readers on a journey to discover the pivotal places, encounters and events that shaped Ensor as both an artist and a human being. With the master as a guide, the Belgian capital unfolds as a melting pot of prosperous bourgeois and struggling bohemians, conservative critics and rebellious artists, lively theatres and shadowy cafés. This publication showcases more than two hundred works by Ensor from the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR) and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (RMFAB). These comprehensive collections date back to the 1890s, representing the oldest public holdings of the ‘painter of masks’Royal Library of Belgium February 22 - June 2 2024