A century and a half after the birth of Henry van de Velde the Centrum Vlaamse architectuurarchieven (Centre for Flemish Architectural Archives), the Koninklijke Bibliotheek (Royal Library of Belgium), and the Archives & Musée de la Littérature take the occasion to exhibit a selection of letters by and to Van de Velde.
The exhibition Henry van de Velde. Letters of architects offers an intimate insight in the architectural and amical world of this international Belgian artist. It covers his so-called second Belgian period and his final years in Switzerland, from 1926 to 1957. The beautiful documents reveal Van de Velde as an inspired letter-writer with a wonderful handwriting and a poetic mode of expression.
The focus of the exhibition lies on the correspondence with colleague-architects. Letters by Alvar Aalto, Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier, Eric Mendelsohn, Huib Hoste, Richard Neutra, J.J.P. Oud, Léon Stynen, Alfred Roth and Raphaël Verwilghen attest to the international reknown and recognition of Van de Velde as 'pioneer of modern architecture'.
Partners of the exhibition are the Koninklijke Bibliotheek van België, Archives et Musée de la Littérature and the Centrum Vlaamse Architectuurarchieven. Curators are Prof. Luc Verpoest (KU Leuven) and Ellen Van Impe (CVAa).
With the support of the Flemish Government, Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie, the Federal Government, Belspo and the KU Leuven.
Location: Royal Library of Belgium, Keizerslaan 2, 1000 Brussel, Nassaukapel.
Open: 26 September-30 November 2013, 9am - 5pm, mon-sat, closed on Sundays and on 1, 2, 11, 15 and 16 November 2013
Images
Letter to Huib Hoste 4 February 1924 (Hoste Archive, Universiteitsarchief KU Leuven)
Card to Verwilghen 20 April 1957 (Verwilghen Archive, KU Leuven)
Card with picture of Van de Velde 3 April 1958 (Verwilghen Archive, KU Leuven)
Letter of Alfred Roth, Alvar Aalto and others, 17 November 1953 (Henry van de Velde Archive, KBR)
Henry van de Velde photographed by Raphaël Verwilghen in 1953 (Henry van de Velde Archive, KBR)
More activities on the occasion of Van de Velde's 150th Anniversary