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, Eugčne Simonis, Charles Van der Stappen, Julien Dillens, Paul Devigne, Constantin Meunier, and George Minne.
List of Tables List of Figures List of Abbreviations Acknowledgments
Introduction PART I 18301850: Belgiums Big Bang and the Emergence of Its
Sculpture School 1 Politics 1.1 Sculpture for a New Country: Art as a Unifier
2 Education 2.1 Defying Enemies of Our True Nationality: The Academy of
Antwerp 2.2 Enemies within the Borders of the Nation: Antwerp vs. Brussels
2.3 Out with the Old, in with the New: The Academy of Brussels 2.4 Outside
the Classroom, into the Studio 3 Exhibitions 3.1 The Belgian Salons: An
Exclusive Party 4 Public Commissions 4.1 Guillaume Geefs, le seul sculpteur
belge 4.1.1 General Augustin Belliard, plus Belge que Franēais? 4.1.2
Geefs Peter Paul Rubens: King of the Flemish Painter School 4.1.3 A Battle
of Heroes: Rubens vs. Belliard 4.2 Louis-Eugčne Simonis, pčre de la
sculpture belge moderne 4.2.1 Simon Stevin, an Ambiguous Choice 4.2.2
Godfrey of Bouillon, a Belgian Hero Ahorse 4.3 A Battle of Sculptors: Geefs
vs. Simonis PART II 18501880: A Foreign Prevalence Non-Belgian Sculpture 5
Politics 5.1 Sculpture Midway through the Century: Art as a Sign of Unity 6
Education 6.1 The Academies: Expansion and Consolidation 6.2 Beyond Academies
and Borders: The Private Studio 7 Exhibitions 7.1 Sculpture at the Salons:
The Road to National and International Fame and Claim 7.2 National Schools
at the International Exhibitions: Constructed (or) Reality? 7.2.1 Cultural
Shards and Patches 7.2.2 The boulangerie nationale 7.3 Jean Baptiste
Carpeaux in Belgium: Visiting, Exhibiting, Inspiring 8 Public Commissions 8.1
Une question dart ou une question de nationalité? 8.2 French Sculptors in
Belgium 8.2.1 A Clash at the Bourse of Brussels 8.2.2 A Good-for-Nothing
[ Who] Will Soon Be Disposed Of: Auguste Rodin in Belgium 8.2.3
Carrier-Belleuse in Belgium: The Sequel 8.2.4 Jules Bertin: enfant adoptif
de Tongres, or a Frenchman? 8.3 Sculpture at the Palace of Justice: A Lesson
Learned? 8.4 Une Question dArt et une Question de Nationalité PART III
18801895: A Renaissance of Belgian Sculpture 9 Politics 9.1 Artistic
Prosperity and Economic Distress 9.2 Building for King and Country 10
Education 10.1 Antwerp: The Flemish Academy 10.2 Van der Stappens Reign at
the Academy of Brussels 10.3 Finding Native Heritage Abroad 11 Exhibitions
11.1 The Old Ways: The Salons 11.2 Alternative Stages: LEssor, Les XX, and
La Libre Esthétique 11.3 National Success on an International Stage: The
Paris Salons 11.4 Sculpture at the International Exhibitions: Yesterdays
National Schools? 12 Public Commissions 12.1 Dans lesprit des sculptures
du grand Opéra de Paris: Two Statues for the Royal Museums of Fine Arts 12.2
The Renaissance of Sculpture in Belgium 12.3 Sculpting a(n) (Inter)National
and Local Identity PART IV 18951916: International Belgian Sculpture 13
Politics 13.1 King Leopold II, Belgian Chryselephantine Sculptures, and a
French Garden 13.2 A New Political Movement, a New Sculpture 14 Education
14.1 Ever Looking Back: The Antwerp Academy 14.2 La nature, cest moi qui
lenseigne!: Van der Stappen vs. Dillens in Brussels 14.3 A Need for Change:
The Education Abroad 15 Exhibitions 15.1 Salons: The Old and the New 15.2 La
France aux Franēais!: The Paris Salons 15.3 Contradicting Storylines:
Belgians at the International Exhibitions 15.3.1 Paris1900 15.3.2 Ghent1913
15.4 Meunier and Minne Exhibiting Abroad 15.5 Sculpture in Exile: Later
Exhibitions 16 Public Commissions 16.1 Public Identity: Locality vs.
Nationality 16.1.1 Le Débardeur, a Local Hero 16.1.2 Art Criticism Revised:
Walloon Sculpture? 16.2 Quimporte la nationalité de lartiste?: Meuniers
Zola 16.3 Multiple Identities Bibliography Index
Jana Wijnsouw holds a PhD from the Department of Art History, Music, and Theatre Studies at Ghent University.
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