Almost hidden art history

I must continue last week's little introduction to some of the modern statuary in Brugge. The item on the sculpture at 't Zand by Stefaan Depuydt and Livia Canestrato promised to reveal a little more of their artistic activities. Surprisingly, there are at least three other examples of their work in Brugge; one is particularly famous here, beloved of tourists and other lovers. It is Les Amoureuses in the Burg; again a monumental work in bronze showing a couple of absorbed lovers embracing, beneath the canopy of trees resident there. It stands on a column on the back of which is positioned a bronze frog; legend has it that visitors to the town must kiss the frog if they wish to return and this ritual is often to be seen being honoured by hopeful tourists. The lines of the sculpture flow and its fluidity together with the self absorption of the lovers, portray youth and mutual passion. This probably dates also from the late eighties and I heard today that that too might be about to be banished to some Other Place.

They were also responsible for 'The Ode to Music' over the entrance door of the Joseph Rylandtzaal

in Ezelstraat, a hall I used to know well when it was one of the venues for the coffee concerts each week morning in the MA Festival. It seems little used nowadays but it is a most beautiful space in which to listen to music. And also the charming 'Bouquet of Flowers for Frank Van Acker', a former mayor, situated on the Djiver was the work of the same couple. Frank Van Acker [1929-1992] was a famous mayor of Brugge and Minister of State too. A bronze head of Van Acker stands aloft a column in the Vismarkt, sculpted by Fernand Vanderplancke and its central presence testified, no doubt, to his enduring popularity. 

'Our' two sculptors were prolific and their creative works have adorned the public face of Brugge for at least thirty years so that it is a shock to discover so little about their lives and philosophy! The more so now that I have  learned that the numerous statues adorning the façade of the City Hall, de Stadhuis, are their work. Yes, I mean those gorgeous 'mediaeval statues!

The Stadhuis van Brugge was built in the Gothic style beginning in 1376 and originally completed in 1421 under the leadership of engineer Jan Roegiers. Its flamboyant opulence underlined the economic and political power of the city at that time. The statuary has perforce been renewed many times over the centuries though some fine
original examples remain in the Gruuthuus museum. To look at the façade of this beautiful building now, as millions of tourists do, is to witness an early Mediaeval miracle of construction and decoration. But, because my interest was kindled by this blog, today I have been to the Archives in the Burg to see what I could find. And what delight it was there to have
access to a booklet presumably produced in the late 1980s entitled:

Brugge Burg: Stefaan Depuydt and Livia Canestraro 

It has many black and white photographs in it and is first, a resume of the history of the Stadhuis, and secondly, a picture book of the sculpting and installation and celebration of the new statues on the facade during the eighties. The detail is enough to outline the centuries-old dilemma with the statues on the façade but the information for the last fifty years is riveting and one little phrase in the book gives a clue as to why the resolution of years of indecision and non-cooperation came about. There is a photograph of Frank Van Acker, the famous Mayor of Brugge mentioned above, at the official installation of the new statues decorating the Stadhuis in 1988, labelling him as 'the motor behind the completion of the new statues.' Now I understand one reason at least behind the memorial Bouquet of Flowers for Frank Van Acker, on the Dijver, created by Stefaan and Livia, the two sculptors. It was he who had cut through the Gordian knot and brought half a century of indecision and stalemate to an end. And the ensuing competition to choose four sculptors from a long list of seventeen, had awarded the huge task of creating forty eight 'mediaeval' statues for the long-vacant niches on the façade of the six hundred year old Stadhuis, to Stefaan Depuydt and Livia Canestraro! Neat. Here, below, is the bronze head of Frank Van Acker, [1929-1992] sculpted by Fernand Vanderplancke, and placed in the Vismarkt. He died about four years after the triumphant ceremony to celebrate the installation of the statues in the niches which had languished, empty, for so long.
 

 



 

 

 

I found the details of the history of the statues so interesting that I copied down most of it to record in this blog, albeit, in the interests of the sanity of the occasional reader, in next week's edition. Fortunately for me, half of the written information was in Dutch, alas, still Double to me, but half was duplicated in pretty simple French which saved my lardon, as it were. I fear it may slightly bore but it is worth reading to witness the extraordinary time scale of civic disagreements! I won't include every detail; promise!

 

In Search of Statues

The same unseasonal weather as in the UK has swept Brugge this Easter, though with still quite a lot of sun. No chance of seeing my family, the seasonal pursuit here and elsewhere; one branch is in California and the rest took off on Good Friday en masse to go ski-ing in Chamonix where they should be having a great time, I hope. It is a heart-warming thought, that of happy families, doing what they love, together. It warms my heart even though, and because, I am not with them; ski-ing is the Very Last Activity I would enjoy. While wandering around Brugge looking at the statuary is exactly to my taste!

 

So, once the idea had filtered into consciousness, I set off, wandelen,  to photograph some of the statues here; the trigger, in fact, has been the news that the Burgemeester and his henchman, in a continuing attempt to update the image of Brugge from gorgeous historical mediaeval town to thrusting modern metropolis, have decided to modernise 't Zand, the huge space at the other end of Steenstraat and Zuidzandstraat from the Markt. It is already graced by the Very Modern Concertgebouw whose design is generally reviled by the townspeople though music lovers speak highly of its wonderful acoustics. I am in both camps as it happens. I love going to concerts there and think Brugge so lucky to have such a serious space for performances of various sorts. However, its design is only OK and I write that after fourteen years of trying to like it; it was built in celebration of, and tribute to, the 2002 honour of Brugge being the European City of Culture. The last time Eric, my husband, and I visited Brugge on our annual pilgrimage to the Early Music Festival in August 2000, he had spluttered with rage when we saw the emerging building. The effrontery was so powerful that he wouldn't go back to 't Zand during our stay! But, see, above, for yourselves but I should add, in fairness, that the building has received architectural accolades.

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Back to 't Zand. Part of the plan for modernisation and renewal is the removal of the huge group of statuary in the centre; this is loved for its daylight focus and sparkling jets, and its night-time light and fountains; a meeting place for many and a magnet for tourists. Apparently no decision has been made as to where its new home is to be; suggestions are requested. One couldn't make it up! The statuary is rather monumental and is of course, symbolic, but perhaps, not beautiful. The following information has been gleaned from Erik who is in my Thursday evening English group; he specialises in guided tours in English and is, to boot, keen on history. What synchronicity for me.
 

 

At the centre of the square, the largest space in Brugge, is a multi-headed fountain with four groups of statues, created by Stefaan Depuydt and Livia Canestrano in 1985-86. The four female swimmers represent the four Flemish cities of Ieper, Gent, Brugge and Kortrijk; the cloth symbolising the wealth of those cities while the crows symbolise life after death in perhaps a nod to the R.C. Church. The fishermen refer to the economical activity of the harbour of Zeebrugge and the historic bond with the sea always enjoyed by Brugge; a lock testifies to the perpetual fight against the water, to keep it under control and the plough stands for agriculture with a tribute to the Flemish polder landscape. The splendid cyclists represent tourism, the life blood of the city, and included are Tijl Uilengspiegel and Nele, Flemish folk heroes. In its entirety, the huge group exudes the solidity of continuity, shared values and Flemish pride in its inheritance.
 

Mr Google knows everything according to the solemn pronouncement of my five year old grand-daughter but alas, he can't provide me with any biographical detail of the local artists responsible for this important structure [and other public pieces of statuary in the city]. Stefaan Depuydt and Livia Canestraro must be quite important; they created a statue in Monte Carlo to Princess Grace aka Grace Kelly but details have I none!

More next time on the other Depuydt and Canestraro statues in Brugge. In fact, discovering more about the statuary here is an absorbing pastime in itself. I am sensitised now and quiver with the eagerness of the Red Setter when it spots possible prey in the distance!