Naked! The First Prizes of the Academy of Brussels

The Brussels City Museum exhibits a dozen academic drawings that won prizes between 1841 and 1885. For conservation and study purposes, these graphic works were transferred to the museum in 2024.

The drawings — created in charcoal by students at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels — bear witness to the technical and artistic demands of 19^th-century training. This rigorous and instructive academic approach demonstrates the institution’s educational tradition.

The drawings exclusively involved male nudity, reflecting the heritage of classical antiquity, as well as a particular historical context, at a time when women were not admitted to formal artistic training.

Hubert Bellis, Adrien Jean Madiol, Éleuthère de Potter and Joseph Van Severdonck are just some of the prize-winners; they all went on to pursue a variety of artistic careers. The museum shows several of their works, which are presented here alongside their early drawings, giving insight into their stylistic and technical development.

Practical information

• In collaboration with the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Brussels
• Access to the Parenthesis Space is included in the entry ticket
• The exhibition will take place on the first floor of the Museum. The room is accessible by stairs only