The King Baudouin Foundation has acquired two rare and art-historically significant works by Henry van de Velde (1863–1957): an exceptional brooch dating from 1898–1899 and a unique binding from 1895. These works can now be seen respectively at the Art & History Museum and at the Wittockiana in Brussels.

Brooch dating from 1898–1899

This brooch is among the earliest creations by Henry van de Velde and is a rare surviving example of his jewellery design. It reflects a pivotal phase in Van de Velde’s artistic development, during which he moved away from the naturalistic language of Art Nouveau and evolved towards the abstract, dynamic lines that would later form the foundation of modern design. The brooch was aquired through the Marie-Jeanne Dauchy Fund, managed by the King Bauoduon Foundation, and is now exhibited at the Art & History Museum in Brussels.
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Binding from 1895

The second acquisition, made through the Christian Bauwens Fund, also managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, is an exceptional and unique binding designed by Henry van de Velde and made by the workshop of Paul Claessens for the marriage contract of Léon de Lantsheere and Marguerite Kerckx (late 1895). It illustrates Van de Velde’s pioneering role as one of the leading figures in the reform of the decorative arts and the birth of modern design. The binding has joined the collection of the Wittockiana, the Museum of Book Arts and Bookbinding in Brussels.
More information about the bookbinding of Henry van de Velde