Belgian decorative arts in the later nineteenth century: needs for a national museum and debates surrounding didactic collections in Brussels

Few studies have been dedicated to the laborious process that led to the foundation of the Musées Royaux des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels de Belgique. Focusing on debates related to the creation of a museum of decorative and industrial arts in Brussels – a ‘Belgian South Kensington’ – the article examines the processes by which, in the second half of the nineteenth century, discussion on the didactic use of artistic collections shaped the projected museum's guiding principles. The artistic policies of the young nation-state prevailed over the didactic ambitions promoted by a group of reforme... Mehr ...