Discover the Paul Delvaux Museum: experience Belgian art in a new way!

Discover the Paul Delvaux Museum: experience Belgian art in a new way!

The Paul Delvaux Museum in Saint-Idesbald on the Flemish coast is a true treasure trove for art lovers and is dedicated to the life and work of the important Belgian painter Paul Delvaux. It houses the largest collection of his works in the world and offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the artist's dreamlike universe. The museum was founded in 1982 by Paul Delvaux himself and his nephew Charles Van Deun. Originally started as a small, intimate museum, it has now expanded to over 1,000 square meters and offers a remarkable example of the journey of a personal project that has transformed over time into a major art institution.

Delvaux was born on September 23, 1897 in Antheit and is considered one of the most outstanding representatives of the Surrealist movement of the 20th century. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels and worked as a lecturer at the National School of Art and Architecture La Cambre from 1950 to 1962. In addition to his artistic work, from 1963 he was president and director of the Fine Arts Class of the Royal Academy of Belgium. In 1952 he married his muse Anne-Marie De Maertelaere.

The museum and its collections

Originally housed in a former 19th-century fisherman's house, the museum displays not only paintings, but also drawings, watercolors, sketches, prints and personal belongings by Delvaux. Among the most important works are “La Gare forestière”, an impressive image of a train station in the forest, and “Le Récitant”, which plays with metaphysical themes. The museum actively promotes the dissemination of Delvaux’s art through temporary exhibitions and international loans.

After the artist's death on July 20, 1994, the museum opened its doors to a mourning community of over 2,000 people who paid their last respects. The Paul Delvaux Foundation, founded in 1979, manages over 3,000 of his works and ensures that his legacy is preserved.

Extensions and renovations

In 1996, an underground extension was created under a parking lot opposite the main building. This includes a spacious room measuring 29 m × 17 m, which offers space for a newly acquired collection of works, documents, photos and letters. After extensive renovations, the museum reopened in 2016 and now offers visitors current facilities on an area of ​​approximately 1,000 square meters.

The museum is not only a place for the exhibition of art, but also an archive of letters, photographs, audio and video recordings and a specialist library. Additionally, in the museum's garden, visitors can admire a sculpture entitled "De Kwartel" (1976), created by Delvaux's friend George Grard.

The museum location also offers walks to places that shaped Delvaux's life, as well as themed routes for cyclists. The entire experience combines art, nature and the history of one of the greatest Belgian painters of the 20th century, as well as in Wikipedia entry described about the museum.