ABSTRACT
Today, Meunier and Minne are definitely proclaimed as representatives of Belgian sculpture. After its success at the Paris salon, the French State bought a bronze model of the statue in 1890. Despite this clear association between Débardeur and Antwerp, and in extension the nation's most important port, Meunier himself was sometimes assigned a different local identity. In his interpretation, Abry closely associated 'Flemish' with the city of Antwerp, its Academy notably positioning itself explicitly in the tradition of the old 'Flemish' masters. Simultaneous to the more apprehensive application of categories such as 'Flemish' or 'Belgian', the label 'Walloon' gained significance. The mentioned article on Walloon art by Abry hardly contributed to the definition of Walloon sculpture, therefore giving rise to the question whether there was truly such a difference between the artistic productions of Flemings and Walloons, and in extension, if there was a difference between Walloon and Flemish sculpture.
