DÉTAILS DE L'IMAGE

Thomas Deprez Fine Arts

Pieter Jan Braecke (Nieuwpoort 1858-1938 Nossegem)
L'Humanité, before 1906
Marble
H 220 cm
Unique piece
Signed on the base 'P. Braecke'
Provenance: created for the grand hall of the Hôtel Aubecq (1903) by Victor Horta (1861-1947); private collection Octave Aubecq, Brussels (industrialist and founder of Le Cresuet); by descent into the family; sold following the demolition of the Hôtel Aubecq in 1949; possibly bought with part of the furniture by Louis Wittamer-De Camps, Brussels (?); circa 1979, in the collection of Mme Vanderperre, Antoing; private collection, New Jersey; private estate, Queens, New York
Literature: Braecke's masterpiece ‘L'Humanité’ has been widely published and discussed, both at the time in the press, as well as in more recent art historical and architecture related publications up to the present day. A full literature and press list are available on request
Exhibitions: Salon triennal de Gand, 1906 (cf. version in plaster); Pour L'Art, XVe exposition annuel, Brussels, 1908 (cf. cat. p. 11, plaster); Exposition universelle de Gand, 1913 (cf. cat. p. 66, n° 574, Hall 20, plaster)

Related works:
A plaster cast of a first version of the sculpture was given by the artist to his hometown of Nieuwpoort, Belgium in 1925, and has now been confirmed as having been destroyed during the Second World War. A single plaster version of the sculpture in its final conception survives today, and was gifted by the artist's widow, Elodea Roméo-Braecke, from the artist's studio to the city of Nieuwpoort, after the Second World War. It is currently held at the city's district court.

Related documents:
The present sculpture can be identified on several photographs taken at the Hôtel Aubecq during its painstaking demolition in 1949. The building's façade was saved by the Belgian government and awaits its reconstruction, while the original furniture was dispersed and is currently held in private collections as well as important institutions such as the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée Horta.