Khnopff, Bruges-la-Morte and photography
Lecture by Michel Draguet
The lecture, arising from the discovery of an important piece of art called D’Autrefois (of Old), focuses on the relationship between the artist Khnopff and his hometown, Bruges, and his place in the Symbolist imagination. With a particular focus on photography, which Khnopff took full advantage to depict the Flemish town overcome by centuries of sleep. Maybe he even invented for his friend Georges Rodenbach a new possibility to illustrate a novel.
A professor at the Université libre de Bruxelles and a member of the Royal Academy of Belgium, Michel Draguet served three terms as Executive Director of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts before becoming the High Representative for Belgian Federal Heritage. As co-founder of the Magritte Museum, he is also a recognised specialist in late 19th‑century art, a field to which he has significantly contributed, notably through the creation of the Fin‑de‑Siècle Museum in 2013.
Fernand Khnopff is among his preferred subjects of study. Draguet has authored three books dedicated to the artist and curated the major retrospective held in 2018–2019 at the Petit Palais in Paris. For that occasion, he delivered a reading of the artist’s letters, accompanied by pianist Éliane Reyes.
This lecture is in French.