On the occasion of the exhibition Les Portes d’or. Charles Doudelet (1861-1939) et le symbolisme which takes place at the Musée Félicien Rops in Namur from 22 October 2022 to 5 March 2023, the MSK is bringing a collection presentation of the Ghent artist’s work in one of the halls.
Symbolist painter, graphic artist and illustrator Charles Doudelet started his artistic career in Ghent. Like George Minne (1866-1941), he was befriend with the poet and dramaturg Maurice Maeterlinck (1862-1949), his kindred spirit for whom he illustrated numerous publications.
Doudelet’s oeuvre is dominated by alienation and mystery, which he usually portrayed in expressive arabesques, decorative stylisation and the use of intense black and white.
The ensemble shown here contains mainly works on paper taken from an extensive fonds d’atelier of the artist donated by the City of Ghent by the Rotary Club in 1976. This selection is complemented by books illustrated by Charles Doudelet that the museum acquired during recent years, including Beatrijs, considered as one of the highlights of modern book design in Belgium at the turn of the century.
