The flower market on the Grand Place

This oil painting on canvas was painted by Gustave Walckiers in 1888. We see “Le Renard ” on the left, with the statue of Saint-Nicolas above it, and “Le Cornet”, both restored. At the back, we see the La Maison du Roi, which has been under reconstruction since 1875. The painting depicts an animated view of the Grand Place as a popular meeting place, with traders, pedestrians, people and animals.

This work was acquired by the Museum in 2018.

Gustave Walckiers (1831-1891), Belgian painter

Gustave Walckiers was born and raised in Brussels. He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Brussels from 1851 to 1853, where he was taught perspective by François Bossuet, a painter of city landscapes. Later, he also studied with Jules Breton.

After successfully completing his studies, Walckiers devoted himself to painting and opened his own studio in his home town.

He mainly painted townscapes and, to a lesser extent, landscapes. He mapped out the boulevards, streets and squares of Brussels and many other national and international cities.

Why did we include this work in our collections?

• Walckiers is a true chronicler of Brussels, and the Grand Place in particular, at the end of the 19th century. His works often show historical buildings that no longer exist today.

Would you like to know more about this acquisition? Come and visit the museum to see it with your won eyes. You can also find more details about the work itself in the inventory sheet here available.