Georges Lemmen & Les XX

This cover belongs to the catalogue for the penultimate exhibition of the Cercle Artistique des XX. After ten years of activity, internal and interpersonal conflicts led to the dissolution of the salon in 1893. However, it was reborn the following year, in 1894, as La Libre Esthétique.

The cover is designed by Georges Lemmen, one of the founding members of the group. Like many of his peers, Lemmen trained as a painter but has a deep interest in the decorative arts. His creative pursuits extend to wallpaper, textiles, posters, ceramics, and more.

For this exhibition, Lemmen revisited the striking visual formula he had introduced the previous year for the catalogue of the same artistic circle (also featured in our exhibition). The intricate motif is balanced through his restrained use of just two colours: black and red. This minimalistic palette, combined with his bold brushwork, highlights Lemmen's engagement with both printmaking traditions and the influence of Japanese art. The composition’s elements also reflect this Asian inspiration: the ground, represented by flowing black lines, seems to extend into the sky, depicted through delicate ripples, creating a flattened perspective.

At the centre of the composition, a robust fruit tree stands with its roots coiling and intertwining like the tendrils of a jellyfish, symbolizing renewal, vitality, and the strength of nature. Could Lemmen be symbolising the aspirations of Les XX with this imagery? Their name is prominently displayed in vivid red at the heart of the composition, inscribed on a flag with flame-like edges that flutter in the wind.

The striking design of the cover elevates the catalogue to the status of a collector's item, much like the exhibition it commemorates. This meticulous attention to every detail of the exhibition experience was a hallmark of Les XX and, later, La Libre Esthétique. Their refined aesthetic approach, which embraced the concept of total art, distinguished them from the traditional, official salons from which they sought to break away.

To be discovered in the temporary exhibition Belgian art nouveau. Van de Velde, Serrurier-Bovy, Hankar... & Co
Until May 4, 2025

Book your ticket here.