Guillaume Geefs: from Belliard to Leopold I

The statue of Belliard at the top of the stairs between BOZAR and Brussels Park, that of Leopold I on top of the Congress Column, the commemorative monument on Martyrs' Square: they are all works by Guillaume Geefs. Piece by piece, sculptures that are supposed to promote an independent Belgium. He was the right man, in the right place, at the right time with the right connections. It is strange that we do not know the very talented Guillaume Geefs (1805-1883) by name, because his work is omnipresent. Not only in Brussels, but also far beyond national borders, his sculptures have been included in art collections or can be admired in public space. A strong network The Antwerp-born baker's son settles in Brussels at a young age. His innate talent for entrepreneurship steers him toward the new and capital-rich city. Through the network of his Irish spouse Fanny Corr and through interventions by Leopold I, Geefs attracts a clientele from the other side of the channel. Together with his friend Gustave Wappers, Geefs was the sculptor par excellence to provide the young Belgian nation with works of art that shaped its identity. Wappers' best-known work depicts the independence struggle on the Grote Markt. Next to this immense canvas in the main hall of the Museums for Schone Kunsten van Belgi stands a statue of Leopold I, once again the work of Geefs and originating from the Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers. This walk was developed on the occasion of the publication of the Guillaume Geefs van Korei guide Frederik Tinck. The book is available, among other places, in the museum shop of the Koninklijke Musea for Schone Kunsten van Belgi.