The Belfius Art Collection is a collection of Belgian art owned by the Belfius Bank (and thus as of August 2018 by the Belgian State, owner of Belfius since 2011).

History

The current collection of Belfius Bank is the combination of the collections of three older banks, which are now part of Belfius. Paribas Belgium collected art from the 16th to the 18th century, plus some contemporary (post-WWII) art. The collected Belgian art from 1860 to 1945. BACOB did not start collecting art until 1980, and focused on contemporary

Belgian art Despite its size, Belgium has a long and distinguished artistic tradition that goes back to the Middle Ages, considerably pre-dating the foundation of the current state in 1830. Art from the areas making up modern Belgium is called in English Neth ...

. Belfius continued collecting art after the fusion of the banks, and the complete collection has grown to more than 4,300 works. This makes it the largest company-based Belgian art collection, while being considered one of the 100 most important worldwide. The Belgian state took over the bank in 2011, so effectively owns the art collection as well. Small selections of the collection are open to the public two Saturdays every month. The bank lends works to exhibitions as well.

Future

The plans, as of August 2018, to denationalize Belfius partially or completely by going to a stock exchange with it, have raised concerns about the future of the collection, with calls to separate the art collection from the bank and keep it completely in the hands of the government.

Collection

The collection is mainly focused on painting and some sculptures, but also contains tapestries, books, and furniture. The below list is based on the works described on the Belfius Art Collection website, and artists and artworks mentioned in other sources. * Philip Aguirre y Otegui, ''Man standing before a wall'' *

Pierre Alechinsky Pierre Alechinsky (; born 19 October 1927) is a Belgian artist. He has lived and worked in France since 1951. His work is related to tachisme, abstract expressionism, and lyrical abstraction. Life Alechinsky was born in Schaerbeek, Belgium, to ...

* Albert Bartsoen, ''Steenbakkerij in Heusden'' * Bram Bogart * Michaël Borremans, ''Miranda'' *

Marcel Broodthaers Marcel Broodthaers (28 January 1924 – 28 January 1976) was a Belgian poet, filmmaker, and visual artist. Early life Broodthaers was born on 28 January 1924 in Brussels, Belgium. Career Broodthaers was briefly associated with the surrealist ...

, ''Le sous-sol'' *

Jan Brueghel the Elder Jan Brueghel (also Bruegel or Breughel) the Elder ( , ; ; 1568 – 13 January 1625) was a Flemish painting, Flemish painter and Draughtsmanship, draughtsman. He was the younger son of the eminent Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, Flemish ...

together with Hendrick Van Balen, ''Offergave aan Ceres met guirlande van vruchten'' * Jean Brusselmans, ''Landschap met koeien'' *

Anto Carte Antoine "Anto" Carte (8 December 1886 - 15 February 1954) was a Belgian painter. Antoine Carto was born in Mons in 1886. His father was a joiner. Anto Carte was first apprenticed to François Depooter, an interior painter, and then studied art ...

, ''Madone'' * Jacques Charlier, ''Peinture cruelle'' *

Emile Claus Emile Claus (27 September 1849 – 14 June 1924) was a Belgian painter. Life Emile Claus was born on 27 September 1849, in Sint-Eloois-Vijve, a village in West Flanders (Belgium), at the banks of the river Lys (river), Lys. Emile was the twe ...

; ''De overstroming'' en ''De communicanten'' * Stijn Cole, ''L'Extase > 18/9/2017 - 12:55'' * Alexandra Cool * Leo Copers * Jules De Bruycker * Berlinde De Bruyckere * Antoon De Clerck, ''Roger en Zulma op bezoek'' * Thierry De Cordier, ''Inscripta Christo pagina'' * Anne-Pierre de Kat, ''De lichtekooi'' * Raoul De Keyser * Gery De Smet, ''Euskal dantzak'' *

Gustave De Smet Gustave Franciscus De Smet (21 January 1877 – 8 October 1943) was a Belgian painter. Together with Constant Permeke and Frits Van den Berghe, he was one of the founders of Flemish Expressionism. His younger brother, , also became a painter. ...

, ''Zitten naakt'' en ''Spelende kinderen'' * Léon De Smet, ''De paardenmolen'', ''In de tuin'' en ''Portret van een vrouw'' * Jules De Sutter, ''Moeder'' * Charles Degroux * Luc Deleu, ''De onaangepaste stad – La ville inadaptée'' * Ronny Delrue, ''Maandag, 09.12.2002'' *

Paul Delvaux Paul Delvaux (; 23 September 1897 – 20 July 1994) was a Belgian painter noted for his dream-like scenes of women, classical architecture, trains and train stations, and skeletons, often in combination. He is often considered a surrealist, alt ...

, ''De stad bij dageraad'' and ''Het congres'' *

Wim Delvoye Wim Delvoye (born 1965 in Wervik, West Flanders) is a Belgian neo-conceptual artist widely recognized for combining in his inventive and often shocking projects philosophical ideas, innovative use of materials, and a passion for craftsmanship. ...

, ''Angélique'' *

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

, ''Oratorio del silencio'' *

Robert Devriendt The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...

, ''Coyote'' * Sam Dillemans, ''Sam-Lizy'' * Christian Dotremont, ''Logogram: Hendes haar…'' * Jan Dries, ''Mummie van het heden'' *

James Ensor James Sidney Edouard, Baron Ensor (13 April 1860 – 19 November 1949) was a Belgian painter and printmaker, an important influence on expressionism and surrealism who lived in Ostend for most of his life. He was associated with the artistic ...

, ''De dronkaards'', ''De bevrijding van Andromeda'' and ''Les bains d'Ostende'' * Henri Evenepoel * Jan Fabre, ''Mur de la montée des Anges'' *

Emile Fabry Emile or Émile may refer to: * Émile (novel) (1827), autobiographical novel based on Emile de Girardin, Émile de Girardin's early life * Emile (film), Emile, Canadian film made in 2003 by Carl Bessai * ''Emile, or On Education, Emile: or, On Ed ...

, ''De tuin der dromen'' *

Jan Fyt Jan Fijt, Jan Fijt or Johannes Fijt (or Fyt) (19 August 1609 – 11 September 1661) was a Flemish Baroque painter, draughtsman and etcher. One of the leading still life and animaliers of the 17th century, he was known for his refined flower an ...

, ''Stilleven met jachtgerei, gevogelte en vruchtenkorf'' * Georges Grard, ''De grote Afrikaanse'' *

Philip Huyghe Philip, also Phillip, is a male name derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularized the n ...

, ''Jacqueline en Joly'' *

Ann Veronica Janssens Ann Veronica Janssens (born July 30, 1956) is a Belgian contemporary visual artist based in Brussels, Belgium. She lives and works in Brussels, Belgium. Her work is an invitation to ephemeral experiences, which are at times delirious or vertigin ...

, ''RAL3002'' *

Floris Jespers Floris Jespers (18 March 1889 in Borgerhout – 16 April 1965 in Antwerp) was a Belgian Avant-garde painter. After his graduation from the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts, he hooked up with the poet Paul Van Ostaijen and joined the Antwerp avant- ...

, ''De cocotte'' *

Jacob Jordaens Jacques (Jacob) Jordaens (19 May 1593 – 18 October 1678Jacques Jordaens
in the Netherlands Institute for Ar ...

, ''Marsyas door Apollo gevild'' *

Fernand Khnopff Fernand Edmond Jean Marie Khnopff (12 September 1858 – 12 November 1921) was a Belgian symbolist painter. Life Youth and training Fernand Khnopff was born to a wealthy family that was part of the high bourgeoisie for generations. Khnopf ...

, ''Portret van Gabriëlle Braun'' * Marie-Jo Lafontaine, ''V.I.N.C.E.N.T.'' *

Thomas Lerooy Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...

, ''Nest'' *

Lili Dujourie Lili Dujourie (born 1941 in Roeselare, Belgium) is a Flemish visual artist who works primarily in sculptures, paintings, and video. She has had numerous solo and group exhibitions since 1968 and continues to make art today. Career The media in whi ...

, ''Tussen altijd en nooit'' *

René Magritte René François Ghislain Magritte (; 21 November 1898 – 15 August 1967) was a Belgium, Belgian surrealist artist known for his depictions of familiar objects in unfamiliar, unexpected contexts, which often provoked questions about the nature ...

* Hubert Malfait, ''Boerin, koe en paard'' and ''À la fenêtre'' * Auguste Mambour, ''Tête de nègresse'' * Pol Mara * Marcel Marien *

Frans Masereel Frans Masereel (31 July 1889 – 3 January 1972) was a Belgium, Belgian painter and graphic artist who worked mainly in France. He is known especially for his woodcuts which focused on political and social issues, such as war and capitalism. He ...

, ''De stad'' and ''La montée au calvaire'' * Xavier Mellery, ''De dans'', ''De afschaffing der tolgelden'' *

Herri met de Bles Herri met de Bles, also known as Henri Bles, Herri de Dinant, Herry de Patinir,(c. 1490 – after 1566), was a Flemish Northern Renaissance and Mannerist landscape painter, native of Bouvignes or Dinant (both in present-day Belgium). The name ...

* Jan Matsys *

Constantin Meunier Constantin Meunier (; 12 April 1831 – 4 April 1905) was a Belgian Painting, painter and sculpture, sculptor. He made an important contribution to the development of modern art by elevating the image of the industrial worker, docker and mi ...

, ''Kolenraapster'' *

Henri Michaux Henri Michaux (; 24 May 1899 – 19 October 1984) was a Belgian-born French poet, writer and painter. Michaux is renowned for his strange, highly original poetry and prose, and also for his art: the Paris Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenhei ...

, ''Sans titre dit Grande bataille'' *

George Minne George (Georges) Minne (born ''Georgius Joannes Leonardus Minne''; 30 August 1866 – 18 February 1941) was a Belgians, Belgian artist and sculptor famous for his idealized depictions of man's inner spiritual conflicts, including the "Kneeling ...

, ''Kind met de waterzak'' and ''Treurende moeder met twee kinderen'' * Antoine Mortier * Hans Op De Beeck, ''Small Pond (2/3)'' * Willem Paerels, ''Portret van Georges Giroux'' * Luc Peire, ''Marcinelle'' *

Constant Permeke Constant Permeke (; 31 July 1886 – 4 January 1952) was a Belgian painter and sculptor who is considered the leading figure of Flemish Expressionism. Biography Permeke was born in Antwerp but when he was six years old the family moved to Ost ...

, ''Hoofd'', ''De verloofden'', ''De dageraad'', ''Staand naakt'' and ''Knielende figuur'' *

Pieter Pourbus Pieter Jansz. Pourbus (c. 1523–1584) was a Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, Flemish Renaissance painter, draftsman, engineer and cartographer who was active in Bruges during the 16th century. He is known primarily for his religious and p ...

Arne Quinze Arne Quinze (born 15 December 1971) is a Belgian conceptual artist known for his public art installations, which include sculptures, drawings, and paintings. He began as a graffiti artist in Brussels in his late teens with no formal art educ ...

Roger Raveel Roger Henri Kamiel, Knight Raveel (15 July 1921 – 30 January 2013) was a Belgian painter, whose work is often associated with pop art because of its depiction of everyday objects. Raveel's style evolved throughout his career, from abstract to ...

, ''Neerhof II'' *

Félicien Rops Félicien Victor Joseph Rops (; 7 July 1833 – 23 August 1898) was a Belgian artist associated with Symbolism (arts), Symbolism, Decadence, and the Parisian , a member of the Les XX group. He was a painter, illustrator, caricaturist and a proli ...

Peter Paul Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish painting, Flemish artist and diplomat. He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque painting, Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens' highly charged comp ...

, ''De roof van de Sabijnse maagden'' and ''De verzoening tussen Romeinen en Sabijnen'', 2 sketches from 1640 (allegedly the last sketches he finished before his death) * Meggy Rustamova, ''Waiting for the secret'' * Jacob Savery, ''De bekering van Paulus'' * Roelandt Savery, ''(De scheiding van de kudden van Jakob en Laba'' * Edgar Scauflaire, ''Naakt met halsketting'' *

Daniel Seghers Daniel Seghers (3December 15902November 1661) was a Flemish Jesuit brother and Flemish Baroque painter, painter who specialized in flower still lifes. He is particularly well known for his contributions to the genre of flower garland painting.I ...

, ''Bloemstuk met Maria en Kind en de jonge Johannes de Doper'' * Michel Seuphor, ''La férule'' *

Léon Spilliaert Léon Spilliaert (also Leon Spilliaert; 28 July 1881 – 23 November 1946) was a Belgian draughtsman, illustrator, lithographer and painter. In his early career, he contributed to the development of symbolism in the visual arts in Belgium ...

, ''Zeilschip in volle zee'', ''Winterlandschap'', ''Huis op de dijk'' and ''Golfbreker met paal'' * Piet Stockmans *

Luc Tuymans Luc Tuymans (born 14 June 1958) is a Belgian visual artist best known for his paintings which explore people's relationship with history and confront their ability to ignore it. World War II is a recurring theme in his work. He is a key figure ...

, ''The rape'' and ''The door'' * Edgard Tytgat, ''Hommage à Mozart "Mozart et les Bohémiens"'' *

Raoul Ubac Raoul Ubac (31 August 1910, Cologne – 22 March 1985, Dieudonne, Oise) was a French painter, sculptor, photographer and engraver. He had various and irregular artistic training and travelled in Europe between 1928 and 1934. He worked mostly ...

, ''Calvarie'' * Rinus Van de Velde, ''I’ve been in a similar position before : attacked by a personified outside…*'' *

Gustave Van de Woestyne Gustave Van de Woestijne (; 2 August 1881 – 21 April 1947) was a Belgium, Belgian expressionism, expressionist Painting, painter. He belonged to the so-called "First Group of Latem", a group of artists who worked in the rural village of S ...

, ''Portret van Joseph de Craene'' *

Frits Van den Berghe Frits Van den Berghe (3 April 1883 – 23 September 1939) was a Belgian Expressionism, expressionist and Surrealism, surrealist Painting, painter and illustrator. Biography He was born in Ghent, where his father was the Librarian at the Univers ...

, ''De verrukking'', ''Le repenti'', ''Winter in Blaricum'', ''De ballingen'' and ''De schilder'' * Koen van den Broek *

Anthony van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck (; ; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Flemish Baroque painting, Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Spanish Netherlands and Italy. The seventh child of ...

* Roger Van Gindertael, ''Les trois jongleurs'' * Daniel van Heil * Jan Van Imschoot, ''Reconstructie van een terechtstelling, de keizer rust'' and ''Ja, ja für Elise'' * Anne-Mie van Kerckhoven, ''Maeterlinck'' *

Théo van Rysselberghe Théophile "Théo" van Rysselberghe (23 November 1862 – 13 December 1926) was a Belgian Neo-impressionism, neo-impressionist Painting, painter, who played a pivotal role in the European art scene at the turn of the twentieth century. Bi ...

, ''Het rode zeil'' * Dan Van Severen, ''Triptiek'' * Hilde Van Sumere, ''Swingende dialoog'' * Hans Vandekerckhove, ''The well'' * Koen Vanmechelen, ''Mechelse Redcap + King and Queen + Androgyne'' * Geo Verbanck, ''Brunehilde'' *

Jan Vercruysse Jan Vercruysse (3 October 1948 – 27 February 2018) was a Belgian contemporary visual artist, sculptor and photographer. Life and work Vercruysse was born in Ostend and died in Bruges, both Flemish municipalities in Belgium. Prior to becoming ...

, ''Les paroles XIII'' * Jacques Verduyn, ''Zittend figuur'' *

Pieter Vermeersch Pieter is a male given name, the Dutch form of Peter. The name has been one of the most common names in the Netherlands for centuries, but since the mid-twentieth century its popularity has dropped steadily, from almost 3000 per year in 1947 to ...

, ''Untitled (Inverse 1)'' * Liliane Vertessen, ''Ant-Ik 1986 87/75'' * David Vinckboons, ''Landschap met boeren die terugkeren van het dorpsfeest'' * Marthe Wéry *

Rik Wouters Hendrik Emil (Rik) Wouters (21 August 1882 – 11 July 1916) was a Belgian painter, sculptor and draughtsman. Wouters produced 200 paintings, drawings and sculptures in his 34 years before his illness-caused death. He died partway through th ...

, ''Het zotte geweld'', ''Nel aan de was'', ''Vrouw voor een rode gordijn'', ''Portret van Ernest Wijnants'' and ''Borstbeeld van James Ensor'' * Maurice Wyckaert, ''Groot landschap''

Gallery

Emile Claus De overstroming 1892.JPG,

, 1892, ''The flood'' Emile Claus - First Communion.jpg, Emile Claus, 1893, ''First communion'' Jules De Bruycker - Kermesse noire.jpg, Jules De Bruycker, 1919, ''Black kermesse'' Charles de Groux - Visiting the sick.JPG, Charles de Groux, ''Visiting the sick'' Fernand Khnopff De tuin.JPG,

, ''The garden'' Georges Minne Kind met waterzak 001.jpg,

, 1898, ''Child with waterbag'' Félicien Rops Sneeuw te Thozée.JPG,

, ''Snow in Thozée'' Léon Spilliaert (1924) - Scheepswerf te Oostende.jpg, Léon Spilliaert, 1924, ''Shipyard in Ostend'' Léon Spilliaert (1929) - Fontein in de sneeuw.jpg, Léon Spilliaert, 1929, ''Fountain in the snow'' Brand van Antwerpen met het Paard van Troje.PNG, Daniel van Heil, ''Fire of Antwerp with the Trojan Horse''

References

External links

Official Website

n Dutch N, or n, is the fourteenth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages, and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...

{{Expand Dutch Art collections in Belgium Private art collections