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Document Details : Title: De cultus van het naakte woord Subtitle: ''t Fonteintje', rococo in Vlaanderen Author(s): DAANE, M. Journal: Spiegel der Letteren Volume: 41 Issue: 1 Date: 1999 Pages: 1-46 DOI: 10.2143/SDL.41.1.630116 Abstract : The Flemish literary periodical ’t Fonteintje (‘The Little Fountain’; 1921-1924), led by Maurice Roelants, Raymond Herreman, Karel Leroux en Richard Minne, didn’t only have a traditionalistic character, following the traces of the much earlier Van nu en straks (‘Of Now and Next’) and influenced by the work of Karel Van de Woestijne. It was also an early forerunner of the individualistic, but intellectually much more sophisticated Dutch periodical Forum (1931-1935), to which all the editors of ’t Fonteintje contributed. Moreover, it reflected admiration for Jan Van Nijlen, the poet who introduced such a fine mixture of classicism, neoromanticism and intellectual individualism to Flanders. Furthermore, it gave voice to an underestimated group of writers: the literary newcomers Richard Minne, Raymond Brulez and Joris Vriamont. Their work resembled in their irony, in unusual combinations and findings of words, in original metaphors and pictures and in vernacular or intellectual references. It had a lighter tone and an intelligent, delicate incorporation of humour, Bildung and eroticism. Their incomparable colours and sounds could be referred to as ‘Flemish rococo’, as Richard Minne himself put it. Their preference for French culture and subtle details even enhances this similarity, but this never resulted in a movement. In the twenties, their rather modest way of renewing litterature wasn’t really understood and never really touched ground. Nowadays, their work (parts of it republished in 1994, 1996 and 1997) is still crystal-clear, very readable and bears their very own characteristic features. It’s actually forgotten that the ‘traditionalistic’ Fonteintjealso served as their first and common platform. |
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