Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Antwerp)

Pierre Bourla

The Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp (

Guild of St Luke—which embraced arts and some handicrafts—and petitioned Philip IV of Spain

, then master of the Spanish Netherlands, to grant a royal charter to establish a Fine Arts Academy in Antwerp. It houses the Antwerp Fashion Academy.

19th century

The Royal Academy developed into an internationally acclaimed institute for Fine Arts, Architecture and Design. From the nineteenth century on, the academy attracted young artists from abroad. Irish, German, Dutch, Polish artists looking for a solid classical training found their way to Antwerp. Under the direction of

Gustave Wappers (1803-1874) and his registrar Hendrik Conscience

, the academy faced significant restructuring. The academy's significant art collection was exhibited in its own gallery space. By 1890, this gallery would develop into the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (Dutch; Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten) and would move to its current location in Antwerp.

In 1880, a promising young artist

Henry Van de Velde enrolled at the Antwerp Academy. He would become one of the pioneering 20th century architects and designers. In 1885 and 1886, Vincent van Gogh

was also to spend a short time at the Antwerp academy, prior to his departure to France.

In 1885,

Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris

.

20th and 21st centuries

In 1946, the Architecture program became an independent institute, The National Higher Institute of Architecture. Another key moment in the history of the academy would be 1963. A unique new course ‘Fashion Design’ started. This course was moderately successful from the beginning years, but became renowned in the fashion world during the 1980s when “the

Dirk Van Saene and Ann Demeulemeester

) became prominent alumni. Stylistically extremely diverse, these young friends had a huge impact on the contemporary fashion scene. The fashion program attracted more and more talents from all over the globe. With over 130 students it's by far the largest program in the visual arts and design department.

In 1995, the Flemish higher educational system faced a radical metamorphosis. The Antwerp Academy and the Henry Van de Velde Institute were included as faculties in a bigger college structure, The University College of Antwerp (Dutch: Hogeschool Antwerpen). However, the Higher Institute of Fine Arts was kept independent and to develop into a separate entity.[1]

The Academy nowadays offers three distinctive programs: Visual Arts and Design, Conservation studies and a one-year dedicated teachers training. A body of 540 students (of whom 230 are international) work in the four main buildings located in the heart of the city: Mutsaardstraat (Photography, Silversmithing/Jewelry, Theatre Costume Design and Fine Arts), Nationalestraat (fashion) and Keizerstraat (graphic design). As of September 2013, the programs are offered by the "Artesis Plantijn Hogeschool Antwerpen", a fusion between

Plantijn Hogeschool

.

Nurse of Painters

Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp

.

Shortly after the founding of Antwerp Academy, three large paintings were executed for its meeting hall. Antwerp, Nurse of Painters, by

river god Scaldis, a personification of Antwerp's river Scheldt, symbolises with his cornucopia

the wealth and bounty of the city's artistic heritage.

Notable alumni

References

^ [Een tempel bouwen voor de muzen, een korte geschiedenis van de Antwerpse Academie by Jan Lampo, April 1995] [1885/1985 een eeuw Nationaal Hoger Instituut voor Schone Kunsten te Antwerpen by L.Theo van Looj, 1985/411/7]