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Document Details : Title: De ontwerper als redacteur van een nationale geschiedenis Subtitle: Het concept van de Gentse cortège historique des Comtes de Flandre (1849) Author(s): DEPELCHIN, Davy Journal: Tijdschrift voor Interieurgeschiedenis en Design Volume: 40 Date: 2018 Pages: 47-67 DOI: 10.2143/GBI.40.0.3278518 Abstract : National, regional and urban identity were employed as community-forming elements during the revolutionary second quarter of the 19th century. In order to enhance a sense of belonging and to consolidate the established powers, the government stimulated initiatives that promoted social cohesion. It was in this context that historical processions began to appear in the street scene. As part of the ‘Gentse Feesten’ (Ghent Feasts) in 1849, on 23 July and 6 and 26 August a parade took place in Ghent that was dedicated to the Counts of Flanders. This so-called cortège historique, which included several hundred extras in historicising costumes, was built up around nine floats. Their themes were based on historical events and cultural anchor points from the history of Flanders or Ghent, thereby covering a period of six centuries (from the 9th to the 15th century). The story thus presented started with the history of the christianisation of Flanders, then paid attention to the Ghent’s civic emblem of the dragon, gave a boost to the cult of Jacob Van Artevelde, and also featured the ‘Groot Kanon’ (the medieval bombard also known as ‘Dulle Griet’ or ‘Mad Meg’). Painting, typography, flora and the Ghent community were the themes of the next four floats, while the procession closed with a ‘timeless’ float dedicated to the unity between the peoples and the Belgian tricolour. The iconography of the ‘Counts of Flanders’ procession was definitely aimed at the more astute spectators. However, as it was the organisers’ ambition to present the widest possible coverage of national history, they issued texts that were intended to help decipher the visual language. The author of these texts, Edmond De Busscher, collaborated closely with Félix De Vigne, a history painter associated with the Ghent Academy of Fine Arts, who was the master of ceremonies and responsible for the overall concept. Besides the many dozens of costumes De Vigne had designed several floats with the assistance of Jean Portaels, who was his colleague at the Academy, and the architects Adolphe Pauli and Louis van Overstraeten. Together this artistic team turned the 1849 procession into a total concept that told a coherent story about the national past while also hinting at the contemporary political agenda. |
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