In the 1920s, World War I memorials were erected all over the country. They changed the image of many cities and municipalities permanently. Depending on the budgets and the wishes of the contracting authorities, they are modest or grand, realistic or modern, and sometimes with a religious or political character. At best, they are the result of a collaboration between an architect and a visual artist. The emphasis is often on the ingenuity of the sculptor, but in some cases the contribution of the architect is decisive.
Léon Stynen in collaboration with sculptor Guillaume Dumont, commemorative monument in Knokke, c. 1921
Jos Smolderen in collaboration with sculptor Artur Dupon, Belgian-British commemorative monument in Zeebrugge, c. 1919
Emiel Van Averbeke, commemorative monument in Mol, 1920
Robert Van Averbeke, commemorative monument in Berlaar, 1925
Léon Stynen in collaboration with sculptor Guillaume Dumont, commemorative monument in Antwerp, 1922
Alfons Francken, commemorative monument for a prison camp in Soltau (Germany), c. 1916
Jos Smolderen, first competition design for the International Memorial in Liège, 1923
Eduard Van Steenbergen, 'Monument Flanders voor The Netherlands', 1928
Robert Van Averbeke, the new IJzertoren in Diksmuide, 1950s
Alfons Francken, commemorative monument in Hasselt, 1920
Alfons Francken, tombstone Herman Van den Reeck, c. 1920Would you like to consult an archive?
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Closed: 25.12.2023-31.12.2023
The archive can be visited in groups. Requests for this need to be made at least 3 weeks in advance via architectuurarchief@vai.be.
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