The Letterenhuis ("House of Literature") is a
Belgian non-profit organization located in
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
. The Letterenhuis collects and archives information of Flemish artists, musicians, and writers, as well as portraits concerning
Flemish culture as from 1750. The ''Letterenhuis'' fulfills two tasks: on the one hand it is an archiving and documentation centre and on the other hand it is a
museum
A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...
. The most interesting part of its collection are the manuscripts of famous Belgian authors like
Hendrik Conscience,
Willem Elsschot
Alphonsus Josephus de Ridder (7 May 1882 – 31 May 1960) was a Belgian writer and poet who wrote under the pseudonym Willem Elsschot (). One of the most prominent Flemish authors, his most famous work, ''Cheese'' (1933) is the most translated F ...
and the contemporary writer
Tom Lanoye
Tom Lanoye (; born 27 August 1958) is a Belgian novelist, poet, columnist, screenwriter and playwright. He is one of the most widely read and honoured authors in his language area (the Netherlands and Flanders), and makes regular appearances at ...
. In 2012 the Letterenhuis featured a theme exhibition about
Louis Paul Boon
Lodewijk Paul Aalbrecht (Louis Paul) Boon (15 March 1912, in Aalst, Belgium, Aalst – 10 May 1979, in Erembodegem) was a Belgian writer of novels, poetry, pornography, columns and art criticism in Flemish dialects, Flemish. He was also a painter. ...
to honor his one hundredth birth year.
History
The organization was founded in 1933 as the ''Museum van de Vlaamsche Letterkunde'' ("Museum of Flemish Literature"). The collection was based on the ''Conscience-archive'' and the legacy. Just after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
the name was changed into ''Archief en Museum voor het Vlaamse Cultuurleven'' ("Archive and Museum for the Flemish Cultural Life"). In 2002, the name was changed into the present ''Letterenhuis''. The Letterenhuis moved into its present location in 1958, which is located adjacent to its original location in the Minderbroedersstraat. Since 2004 the Letterenhuis is acknowledged as the cultural archive for the Flemish literary heritage.
Main Exhibition
The Letterenhuis contains a huge archive of manuscripts, notes, diaries, etc. These objects are complemented by biographies about Flemish authors and scientific publications about their works. The museum also draws the attention to the writing process and the way literature is received by critics and the public. The emphasis of the exhibitions is on contemporary literature, starting from 1950.
Theme exhibitions
Gallery
BlommaertBaugniet1836.jpg, Drawing of Philip Blommaert by Baugniet (1836)
Stijn Streuvels by Modest Huys.jpg, Stijn Streuvels by Modest Huys
KarelvandeWoestijneHenrivanStraten.jpg, Karel van de Woestijne by Henri van Straten
MarnixGijsen.jpg, Marnix Gijsen
AliceNahon1930s.tif, Alice Nahon
See also
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Arkprijs van het Vrije Woord
*
Belgian literature
Because modern Belgium is a multilingual country,Dutch, French and German are legally the three official languages in Belgium, seeBelgium, European Union/ref> Belgian literature is often treated as a branch of French literature or Dutch literatur ...
*
Flemish literature
Sources
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Archives in Belgium
Museums in Antwerp
{{Belgium-museum-stub