A NEW MUSEUM OPENS ITS DOORS
My intention had been the Bozar to see the Zubaran. Once again not my period, but the lighting in his paintings fascinates me. We had conferences on him at the Ecole du Louvre, so this was « instruction » more than straight out pleasure. Leaving the ING, I was so cold that as another museum I enjoy was closer, there I knew there would be a hot soup to swallow.
On my way over there - five minutes from the ING, there was a big poster over the Museum of Fine arts I noticed as I ran up the stairs as fast I could - « New Museum opens its doors »……now that was interesting. By the time I had gulped down a huge bowl of indescribable soup which made me feel a little warmer, even if I didn’t know what I was drinking - I went off to look at the modern art section which I always enjoy and was told that the new museum had replaced it. So no Zubaran for me that day.
The entrance to the New Museum was very familiar and I also knew that I had to leave my bag in a locker.
It was a strange beginning with these two creatures welcoming me into another world. However, they are certainly not locals and even now I can’t quite understand why they were cheering us on as we entered the first gallery.
Before we actually started the circuit, there was a small Italian exhibition of sketches dating from the 15th and 16th. Not something I look at closely and yet at times these designs could come straight out of our century.
So we are told that between 1884 and 1914, the exhibitions of Les XX and the Libre Esthétique made the city one of the artistic capitals of the late 19th century. OK, this is not the first museum I have visited that claims itself to be a Capital at a certain period.
Looking at these posters, I smiled at myself as they were one of the reasons I do not enjoy traditional opera……
The number of artists I did not know was heart rending. Here I am an hour and a half away from Belgium and so many names come up which mean nothing to me. The only excuse I have is the period…..
Famous visual artists like Constantin Meunier, James Ensor, Henri Evenepoel, Fernand Khnopff, Léon Spilliaert and Georges Minne testify to the effervescent activity of this period, reflected also in all other creative fields: literature, opera… photography - you name it.
Oh no, not my period - apart from James Ensor and I do love his masks and the irony depicted in his work. There I have crossed borders to see retrospectives of Ensor
But the others ? Names rang a vague bell. But of course there are paintings we all know……
So I was interested to see what else Khnopff did.
Very different from "The Caress" as you can see.
An early Van Gogh caught my eye. Very early, before his paint strokes became the signature of his works.
Death or close to it, also seemed to haunt these artists…..
Symblolism as well…..
But if you look at these young fiancés, I can hardly say that they look happy at the thought of marriage..
It was a very strange mixture and the side exhibition called « Desire » was not my desire at all - nor my eroticism. I know, it takes a lot of artists to make up a world we all enjoy.
There was the pointillist period of course, but this time I felt warmer to look at.....
and in general that feeling of the turn of the century, but unfortunately, I wiped the photos of the painters in a moment of "get rid of that".....
Even the Nabis and post impressionist period.
I don’t know what kept me in the "new museum" except perhaps Ensor but not the other rather kitchy paintings displayed... I smiled, even enjoyed myself and nearly missed the train back to Paris……
If there is another James Ensor to be seen....I will be going back, especially to see his clowns.....
On my way over there - five minutes from the ING, there was a big poster over the Museum of Fine arts I noticed as I ran up the stairs as fast I could - « New Museum opens its doors »……now that was interesting. By the time I had gulped down a huge bowl of indescribable soup which made me feel a little warmer, even if I didn’t know what I was drinking - I went off to look at the modern art section which I always enjoy and was told that the new museum had replaced it. So no Zubaran for me that day.
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| The entrance hall |
The entrance to the New Museum was very familiar and I also knew that I had to leave my bag in a locker.
It was a strange beginning with these two creatures welcoming me into another world. However, they are certainly not locals and even now I can’t quite understand why they were cheering us on as we entered the first gallery.
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| Gavin Turk (UK) Oscar 1967 |
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| Gavin Turk (1967-) The Cripple |
Before we actually started the circuit, there was a small Italian exhibition of sketches dating from the 15th and 16th. Not something I look at closely and yet at times these designs could come straight out of our century.
 |
| Orazio Samacchini (1532-1577) Deux Putti |
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| Perhaps not this....! |
So we are told that between 1884 and 1914, the exhibitions of Les XX and the Libre Esthétique made the city one of the artistic capitals of the late 19th century. OK, this is not the first museum I have visited that claims itself to be a Capital at a certain period.
 | |
Looking at these posters, I smiled at myself as they were one of the reasons I do not enjoy traditional opera……
 |
 |
The number of artists I did not know was heart rending. Here I am an hour and a half away from Belgium and so many names come up which mean nothing to me. The only excuse I have is the period…..Famous visual artists like Constantin Meunier, James Ensor, Henri Evenepoel, Fernand Khnopff, Léon Spilliaert and Georges Minne testify to the effervescent activity of this period, reflected also in all other creative fields: literature, opera… photography - you name it.
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| James Ensor (1860-1954) The scandalized masks |
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| James Ensor (1860-1954) Figures in front of the Playbill |
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| James Ensor (1860-1949) - The Skate -1892 |
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| James Ensor (1860-1954) |
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| James Ensor (1860-1954) The Bad Doctors |
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| James Ensor (1860-1954) The Drunks |
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| James Ensor (1860-1954) Skeletons fighting over red herring and shells |
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| Fernand Khnopff (1858-1921) The Carress |
But the others ? Names rang a vague bell. But of course there are paintings we all know……
So I was interested to see what else Khnopff did.
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| Fernand Khnopff (1858-1921) An Abandoned Town |
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| Fernand Khnopff (1858-1921) Silence |
Very different from "The Caress" as you can see.
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| Vincent Van Gogh 1853-1890) The Peasant |
An early Van Gogh caught my eye. Very early, before his paint strokes became the signature of his works.
Death or close to it, also seemed to haunt these artists…..
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| The Dead |
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| Albert Ciamberlani Orphelia |
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| Gustave Adolf Mossa (1883-1971) The Dead Women |
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| Gustave Adolf Mossa (1883-1971) eva pandore |
Symblolism as well…..
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| Henry de Groux (1866-1930) The Christ tormented |
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| Emile Fabry (1865-1966) The Offering |
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| sorry .....but I like the pigs |
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| and sorry again |
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| an ashtray .... |
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| and a sport's car |
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| but this ? |
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| Parsifal |
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| Emile Fabry (1865-1966) Steps and Gestures |
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| Fritz Van den Berghe (1883-1939) The Man in the Clouds |
But if you look at these young fiancés, I can hardly say that they look happy at the thought of marriage..
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| Leon Fréderic (1856-1940- The Finacés |
It was a very strange mixture and the side exhibition called « Desire » was not my desire at all - nor my eroticism. I know, it takes a lot of artists to make up a world we all enjoy.
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| John Brusselmans (1884-1953) The Bathers |
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| Sorry again..... |
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| Rilk Wouters (1862-1916) Nude sitting on the edge of a bed |
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| Paul Delvaux (1887-1994) A couple with Children in the wood |
There was the pointillist period of course, but this time I felt warmer to look at.....
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| Paul Signac (1863-1935) - The Bay 1906 |
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| Théo Van-Rysselberge (1862-1926) THE PROMENADE |
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| Henry Van de Velde ( 1863-1967) Girl Darning |
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| Willy Finch (1854-1930) Coastal Landscape |
and in general that feeling of the turn of the century, but unfortunately, I wiped the photos of the painters in a moment of "get rid of that".....
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| Felicien Ropps (1883-1898) The Challenge |
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| Charles Joseph Watelet (1867-1964) Portrait of Mme Aondervan - OH WHAT A HAT |
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Even the Nabis and post impressionist period.
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| EDOUARD VUILLARD (1868-1940° The Two school boys 1894 |
I don’t know what kept me in the "new museum" except perhaps Ensor but not the other rather kitchy paintings displayed... I smiled, even enjoyed myself and nearly missed the train back to Paris……
If there is another James Ensor to be seen....I will be going back, especially to see his clowns.....
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