National identity and nineteenth-century Franco-Belgian sculpture / Jana Wijnsouw.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wijnsouw, Jana, author.

Series:

Routledge research in art history

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sculpture, Belgian--19th century.

Sculpture, Belgian.

Sculpture, Belgian--French influences--19th century.

Nationalism and art--Belgium.

Nationalism and art.

Sculpture, Belgian--French influences.

Belgium.

Physical Description:

xiii, 265 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York ; London : Routledge, 2018.

Summary:

This book elaborates on the social and cultural phenomenon of national schools during the nineteenth century, via the less-studied field of sculpture and using Belgium as a case study. The role, importance of and emphasis on certain aspects of national identity evolved throughout the century, while a diverse array of criteria were indicated by commissioners, art critics, or artists, that supposedly constituted a 'national sculpture.' By confronting the role and impact of the four most crucial actors within the artistic field (politics, education, exhibitions, public commissions) with a linear timeframe, this book offers a chronological as well as a thematic approach. Artists covered include Guillaume Geefs, Eugene Simonis, Charles Van der Stappen, Julien Dillens, Paul Devigne, Constantin Meunier, and George Minne.

Contents:

Part I 1830-1850: Belgium's 'Big Bang' and the Emergence of Its Sculpture School 15

1 Politics 17

1.1 Sculpture for a New Country: Art as a Unifier 17

2 Education 22

2.1 Defying 'Enemies of Our True Nationality': The Academy of Antwerp 22

2.2 Enemies within the Borders of the Nation: Antwerp vs. Brussels 25

2.3 Out with the Old, in with the New: The Academy of Brussels 26

2.4 Outside the Classroom, into the Studio 30

3 Exhibitions 35

3.1 The Belgian Salons: An Exclusive Party 35

4 Public Commissions 37

4.1 Guillaume Geefs, 'le seul sculpteur belge' 37

4.1.1 General Augustin Belliard, 'plus Beige que Français'? 52

4.1.2 Geefs' Peter Paul Rubens: 'King of the Flemish Painter School' 57

4.1.3 A Battle of Heroes: Rubens vs. Belliard 62

4.2 Louis-Eugène Simonis, 'père de la sculpture belge moderne' 62

4.2.1 Simon Stevin, an Ambiguous Choice 68

4.2.2 Godfrey of Bouillon, a Belgian Hero Ahorse 71

4.3 A Battle of Sculptors: Geefs vs. Simonis 73

Part II 1850-1880: A Foreign Prevalence and Non-Belgian Sculpture 77

5 Politics 79

5.1 Sculpture Midway through the Century: Art as a Sign of Unity 79

6 Education 83

6.1 The Academies: Expansion and Consolidation 83

6.2 Beyond Academies and Borders: The Private Studio 86

7 Exhibitions 90

7.1 Sculpture at the Salons: The Road to National and International Fame and Claim 90

7.2 'National Schools' at the International Exhibitions: Constructed (or) Reality? 95

7.2.1 Cultural Shards and Patches 95

7.2.2 The 'boulangerie nationale' 97

7.3 Jean Baptiste Carpeaux in Belgium: Visiting, Exhibiting, Inspiring 99

8 Public Commissions 102

8.1 'Une question d'art ou une question de nationalité?' 102

8.2 French Sculptors in Belgium 103

8.2.1 A Clash at the Bourse of Brussels 103

8.2.2 'A Good-for-Nothing [Who] Will Soon Be Disposed of': Auguste Rodin in Belgium 114

8.2.3 Carrier-Belleuse in Belgium: The Sequel 118

8.2.4 Jules Bertin: 'enfant adoptif de Tongres', or a Frenchman? 124

8.3 Sculpture at the Palace of Justice: A Lesson Learned? 127

8.4 Une Question d'Art et une Question de Nationalité 130

Part III 1880-1895: A Renaissance of Belgian Sculpture 133

9 Politics 135

9.1 Artistic Prosperity and Economic Distress 135

9.2 Building for King and Country 140

10 Education 146

10.1 Antwerp: The 'Flemish' Academy 146

10.2 Van der Stappen's Reign at the Academy of Brussels 148

10.3 Finding Native Heritage Abroad 150

11 Exhibitions 157

11.1 The Old Ways: The Salons 157

11.2 Alternative Stages: L'Essor, Les XX, and La Libre Esthétique 159

11.3 National Success on an International Stage: The Paris Salons 165

11.4 Sculpture at the International Exhibitions: Yesterday's 'National Schools'? 168

12 Public Commissions 171

12.1 'Dans l'esprit des sculptures du grand Opéra de Paris': Two Statues for the Royal Museums of Fine Arts 171

12.2 The Renaissance of Sculpture in Belgium 180

12.3 Sculpting a(n) (Inter)National and Local Identity 184

Part IV 1895-1916: International Belgian Sculpture 187

13 Politics 189

13.1 King Leopold II, Belgian Chryselephantine Sculptures, and a French Garden 189

13.2 A New Political Movement, a New Sculpture 191

14 Education 197

14.1 Ever Looking Back: The Antwerp Academy 197

14.2 'La nature, c'est moi qui l'enseignel': Van der Stappen vs. Dillens in Brussels 198

14.3 A Need for Change: The Education Abroad 201

15 Exhibitions 203

15.1 Salons: The Old and the New 203

15.2 'La France aux Français!': The Paris Salons 207

15.3 Contradicting Storylines: Belgians at the International Exhibitions 208

15.3.1 Paris-1900 208

15.3.2 Ghent-1913 211

15.4 Meunier and Minne Exhibiting Abroad 215

15.5 Sculpture in Exile: Later Exhibitions 219

16 Public Commissions 221

16.2 Public Identity: Locality vs. Nationality 221

16.1.1 Le Débardeur, a Local Hero 221

16.1.2 Art Criticism Revised: Walloon Sculpture? 223

16.2 'Qu'importe la nationalité de l'artiste?': Meunier's Zola 226

16.3 Multiple Identities 230.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781138712515

1138712515

OCLC:

990032764