ABSTRACT

During the first half of the nineteenth century, Guillaume Geefs was probably one of the most successful sculptors in Belgium. Almost 100 years prior to this quote, Guillaume Geefs was born on September 10, 1805, in Borgerhout, from a family of bakers. Some years prior, in 1838, Geefs had accomplished the most comprehensive of all national monuments, honoring the deceased fighters of the Belgian Revolution. The shift toward romanticism was instigated both in sculpture and in painting by Antwerp artists, while neo-classicist principles remained en vogue primarily in the Brussels art scene, with leading figures such as Navez. Despite his search for a new style and efforts toward romanticism, foreign critics did not always approve of Geefs' work, especially during the early stages of his career. Considering the Belgian State's intention to commemorate national heroes, it is not surprising that the statue of General Belliard was only the first of many public sculptures.