FRAGILE: Powdery materials in Belgian art on paper
On 19 November 2025, a new rotation will open in the Spilliaert Room at the KMSKB, the focus room that we reported on previously. The KMSKB introduces the new exhibition as follows:
In the Spilliaert Room, dedicated to works on paper, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium present Fragile, a selection of drawings that are seldom shown due to their delicate nature.
Drawing materials such as pastel, charcoal and chalk experienced a remarkable revival in Belgian art from the late 19th to the early 20th century. These powdery materials were used by artists such as Léon Spilliaert, Georges Lemmen, Fernand Khnopff, Berthe Art and Constantin Meunier for a wide range of works on paper, from preparatory sketches to large autonomous compositions.
Already at the time, these artworks were successfully exhibited at various national and international shows and were eagerly collected by art lovers and museums both in Belgium and abroad. Today, the renewed interest in this artistic period presents challenges in terms of conservation and display. Fragile offers an overview of the variety of artworks created by Belgian artists using powdery materials.
Through six thematic perspectives, this presentation explores the ways in which these drawing techniques were applied, the factors underlying the fragility of these works, and how ongoing research contributes to the preservation and management of this heritage for future generations. Fragile showcases the results of the four-year research project Friable, carried out by a team of four researchers from several partner institutions (ENSAV La Cambre, KIK-IRPA, KU Leuven and the Rijksmuseum). The presentation highlights the key findings and reflections that emerged from the programme.
Since 21 May 2025, the Spilliaert Room has immersed visitors in the poetic and mysterious world of the Belgian illustrator and draughtsman. This new space also hosts temporary presentations of works on paper (such as Fragile) and honours the exceptional contribution of Spilliaert, whose work enters into dialogue with that of other artists from the collections.
