Léon Spilliaert in the Archives of Contemporary Art in Belgium in Brussels (ACAB)
By Véronique Cardon, Head of the Archives of Contemporary Art in Belgium
The Archives of Contemporary Art in Belgium (ACAB) are a documentation and archive centre related to plastic art in Belgium from the 19th century to the present day, founded in 1962 as part of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. From the very beginning, the intention was to provide context for the Museum’s collection of artworks using written sources, iconographic material and visual archives.
The ACAB includes an impressive collection of Léon Spilliaert’s correspondence: almost 250 original letters and postcards, and some reproductions. They are addressed to Spilliaert or were written by him between 1903 and 1946.
They not only confirm the artist’s biography, but also reveal his state of mind and provide insight into his evolving network of friendships and business relationships.
The correspondence with Brussels publisher Edmond Deman, who employed Spilliaert, is important for understanding the artist’s breakthrough. Thanks to Deman, he frequently met Emile Verhaeren, who in turn introduced him to the intellectual and artistic circles of Paris, and to the playwright Stefan Zweig, among others.
Paris remained an important place for Spilliaert, especially from 1913 onwards. It was also during this period that Spilliaert and Belgian writer and collector Henri Vandeputte started corresponding. He promoted Spilliaert’s work in Paris, and the artist visited his home in Grasse.
However, it was Ostend and the Belgian coast that Spilliaert was drawn to throughout his life. From there, he maintained friendships with Constant Permeke, Henri Storck, Pierre Vandervoort, Paul Desmeth, Robert Goldschmidt, Paul Haesaerts and others, as evidenced by various letters.
In many letters, Georges Baltus, Mayou Iserentant and English author Colin Campbell MacInnes unreservedly express their admiration for Spilliaert’s work.
Other correspondence deals with exhibitions in which Spilliaert participated, contributions to magazines or articles, or books about him.
Documentary photographs of Spilliaert and his friends, personal documents, ephemera, and posters, etc. provide context for the letters and postcards, which are also available for research and can be consulted on site, pending improved visibility in the online database.
