40th anniversary of the PAUL DELVAUX FOUNDATION

The museum offers a unique exhibition dedicated to the frescoes that the painter made between 1954 and 1956 for the home of Gilbert Périer.

The president of the Sabena offered to decorate the entire living room and the mezzanine.
This is probably one of the largest Belgian works, the ensemble covers around 240 m2!
The work also bears witness to the major role played by Belgian collectors of the post-war period, true customers.
Come and discover this ode to antiquity in a surprising and playful staging.

In this anniversary year, the museum also highlights a little-known work, Brialmont. Praise and memoir, published in 1925. Dedicated to the Belgian Vauban, Lieutenant General Henri Alexis Brialmont (1821-1903), this book by lawyer Paul Crokaert (1875-1955) is illustrated by Delvaux and his friends, and Emile Salkin Robert Giron.
A (re) discovery!
The Foundation also pays tribute to the painter Walter Vilain (1938-2019) died in 2019 start of the year based in Sint-Idesbald, he admired at Delvaux.
In 2018 he copied the fresco that the master had done in 1949 on the wall of the house and studio of George Grard, here only 70 years.

Did you know ?

The frescoes by Paul Delvaux in front of the Brussels house of Gilbert Périer are probably one of the greatest national works.
They cover an area of more than 240 m2!
It took Delvaux two years to complete this gigantic project.
He was helped by his friend artist Emile Salkin. the
The work began on April 26, 1954 and was completed on March 9, 1956.
If this unique work remains in the private sphere, it has nevertheless been protected since 1997 by a decree of the government of the Brussels-Capital region.

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of PAUL DELVAUX FOUNDATION (1979-2019), While walking, sequence in sequence, the themes that were approached by the painter are revealed.
The accompanying ensembles form the unity of this magical place, protected from the view.
Let's lift a corner of the veil ... to be carried away by the unique atmosphere that Delvaux wanted to breathe in a space

BRIALMONT. ELOGES & MEMOIRES A RISK ILLUSTRATED WORK

When the book was published in 1925, Jacques Pirenne published an article in which he noted: "In addition to illustrations of pure fantasy, many reproductions of engravings, old photos were collected" (in: Belgian Review of philology and history, volume 5, fasc 2 3, 1926, pp. 672-674).
Indeed, this book has the special feature of being richly illustrated with documents from various sources.
In addition to photographic reproductions and archives, there is a series of original drawings. We do not know the context because of the order of illustrations that the publisher, Lesigne or the author, Paul Crokaert, gave to young artists.
Indeed, besides Delvaux, it was an appeal to Emile Salkin, Robert Giron and J.R. Mussche.

TO PLACE TO SEE

Paul Delvaux was a teacher at La Cambre for 12 years and always wanted to pass on his passion to the younger generations. To achieve this goal, the museum devotes a space every year to a contemporary artist in his showrooms, who offers him the opportunity to be discovered by as many people as possible.

HISTORICAL REPERES on the frescoes from 1906 to 2019

1925 Delvaux and Salkin take part (together with Giron and Mussche) in the illustration of Paul Crockaert's book dedicated to Brialmont.
1935 The Belgian state orders a mural for Salkin for the electricity pavilion presented at the Brussels World Exhibition.
1946 Emile Salkin brings Delvaux to the Natural History Museum in the Cinquantenaire to study skeletons.
1949 Delvaux paints a large mermaid on the facade of George Grard's studio. This fresco has disappeared today. It was copied by Walter Vilain (2018).
1950 Delvaux is appointed professor at the monumental painting workshop of the National School for Art and Architecture, La Cambre, in Brussels. He will teach there until 1962.
1951 Leon Stijnen, director of La Cambre and architect of the Ostend Casino, asks Delvaux to complete an important fresco. The artist is assisted by Salkin and two of his students to paint a giant mermaid.
1954-56 Delvaux is approached by Gilbert Périer, president of Sabena, to present frescoes that adorn his living room library. The work done with the help of Salkin began on April 26, 1954, and
ends March 9, 1956.
1956 In April, Delvaux goes to Greece for the first time with his wife, Tam and the André Delvaux couple. The painter is very impressed with the Parthenon and the Acropolis.
1959 Delvaux makes the large mural of the Palais des Congrès in Brussels.1974 Delvaux makes the wall painting of Chaudfontaine Casino.
1960 He does the mural painting of the Institute of Zoology of the University of Liège and receives the Grand Prix of Painting of the Province of Liège.
1974 Delvaux makes the wall painting of Chaudfontaine Casino.
1977 Delvaux supplies Salkin locomotives to feed his inspiration. His friend died on 27 August.
1978 He makes a monumental painting for the Bourse metro station in Brussels.
1981 Delvaux meets Andy Warhol in Brussels. Photos of the two artists are made in the house of Périer.
2019 Inauguration of the Bourse (Brussels) station thoroughly renovated. Restoration of the Delvaux fresco highlighted by new lighting.

The Paul Delvaux Foundation was founded in 1979 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
Since then she has represented the interests of the artist according to the wishes of the painter himself, who has left him his collections, his archives and the management of his copyright.
She conducts research and initiates (or participates in) projects, both in Belgium and abroad.
To celebrate this anniversary and also the 25th anniversary of Paul Delvaux's death with us, follow the activity program on www.delvauxmuseum.com

WHY IS THE FOUNDATION INSTALLED IN ST IDESBALD?

Although he lived mainly in Brussels, Paul Delvaux was always connected to the Belgian coast. From childhood he spent a family vacation there.
In 1917, the coast, and in particular the port of Zeebrugge, the first watercolors of the painter who started at the age of 20, inspired his career.
He visits St. Idesbald, where he regularly enjoys the light of the North.
Other artists who reside in the small seaside town become friends, such as George Grard and Pierre Caille.
Delvaux enjoys it so much in this region that in 1951 he built a small home workshop near the mill of St. Idesbald.
In 1982 the idea of his cousin Charles Van Deun to create a museum came into existence: The Vlierhof, a former hotel restaurant, is for sale.
This opportunity leads to the establishment of the Paul Delvaux Museum, a place that the artist called "the sun of my old age" and from which he fully benefited.

The Paul Delvaux Museum and the Paul Delvaux Foundation are naturally closely linked and share the same objectives: the preservation and promotion of Paul Delvaux's work. Legally, the Foundation plays a leading role, while the museum is the fruit and place of the Foundation's missions.
The adventure for the Paul Delvaux Museum in Saint-Idesbald starts in 1982.
In that year the Foundation bought from its own resources the former house "Le Vlierhof", the house of de Maes fisherman built in 1886.
After six weeks of hard work, the museum is officially inaugurated on 26 June in the presence of Mr and Mrs Delvaux, surrounded by many friends.
Since its foundation, the museum has undergone three phases of expansion. Today it houses more than 1000 m2, the world's largest collection of the artist: 68 oil on canvas, more than 3000 drawings and watercolors, 38 sketchbooks, the complete collection
engravings and their brass instruments, as well as personal objects that appear in certain works, are therefore shown to the public.
The Foundation also has all the archives that the painter leaves directly: letters, photos,
texts, official documents, audio cassettes of various interviews, ...
The foundation and its museum receive no subsidies.
Their creation is the result of the generosity of the artist.
Today the operation is assured thanks to the perception of the royalties but also thanks to the contribution of all visitors to the museum.
The promotion of the work is not limited to the museum.
Thanks to the help of the Foundation, it is being expanded both in Belgium and abroad by organizing events.
The museum brochure can be downloaded on our website delvauxmuseum.be