Project « Porcelain in Belgium, the creative hub of Europe: Brussels porcelain »

Central to the decorative arts section is a large collection of porcelains, mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries, that demonstrate the diversity of items produced by Belgian manufacturers (primarily Tournai) at the crossroads with European production. A remarkable collection of porcelain by the Demeuldre-Coché factory at Ixelles (1830-1953), together with moulds, materials, archive documents and photos, has just been donated to the section. The exceptional nature of this collection has led us to investigate the entire industrial adventure of this family business, including its stylistic, technical and social history, how the factory operated and distributed its output to a prestigious private and business clientele. It would also look at how it fits into the history of Belgian porcelains as a whole and reflects the evolution of styles, from eclecticism to Art Nouveau and Art Deco.