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Pal. du Cinquantenaire. BRUSSELS. 10. Route. 137
torch, in the act of letting loose the captured foxes in the fields of
the Philistines (1878).
The Palais du Cinquantenaire (Pl. I, 4, 5), built in 1879-80 by
Bordiau for the exhibition, consists of projecting wings with a cres-
cent-shaped colonnade in the middle. The finishing touch was given
to itin 1905, when a huge *Triumphal arch (197 ft. wide and 148 ft.
high) with three openings (each 33 ft. wide) was erected by LeopoldII.
from plans by Ch. Girault (p. 100). The tasteful quadriga crown-
ing the central archway, with figures representing Belgium and the
province of Brabant, is by Th. Vingotte and J. Lagae; round the
base of the quadriga are allegorical figures by Marin, Bouquet, and
De Tombay, and (behind) by Dubois, Hérain, and Rousseau. On
the pedestals below the columns are figures of the eight other pro- i
vinces: in front, Namur, on the left, and Luxembourg, on the right,
by De Groot; between these, Antwerp and Liége, by Van der
Stappen ; at the back, Limburg and Hainault, by Desenfans, Hast
and West Flanders, by Jef Lambeaux. — The adjoining S. wing,
with a domed annexe, is still unfinished. The iron buildings on
the E. side are used for periodical exhibitions.
The N. wing of the palace, to the left of the triumphal arch, \
contains the Musée Royal des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels (adm., }
see p. 96), with which is connected a collection of casts. Curator, f
M. E. van Overloop. No general catalogue.
The first room contains Casts of antique, oriental, and modern works t
of art. The last group affords a survey of the most important specimens
of medieval and Renaissance art in Belgium. — The small room to the
left of the : ue Primitive’), and the gallery above (reached
by aspiral staircase) contain prehistoric, Roman (ornaments), and Frankish
antiquities found in Belgium.
The adjoining hal), cccupying the interior of the crescent-shaped
colonnade (see above; N half), which is divided into two aisles and
several small rooms, contains the “Museum of Industrial Art proper. This \
is chiefly devoted to examples of Belgian art. In the right aisle is the |
collection of lace, in the left aisle the textile collection (see p. 139). The i
walls are hung with *Tapestries of the 15-48th cent., made in Brussels or {
Flanders, and protected from the light by curtains, which are withdrawn |
}
on request. j
The recently-formed *Coriection oF Lace (printed guide, 50 c.) was ;
ented by Madame Montefiore-Levi and others. and includes specimens i
ing in date from the end of the 16th to the beginning of the 19th
y. Photographs from old portraits illustrate the uses to which the i) ed
articles were put. In the raised ante-room are eleven cases and frames :
with ‘cut-work’ embroidery upon linen (/let brodé, burato, fil tiré, point
coupé). The hand-made lace proper is exhibited in the main room. In
the cases at the sides is Voreign Lace: 12-26. Italy; 27-34. France; 30. Eng-
land, Sweden, Schleswig. The cases in the middle contain Belgian Lace:
36-43. Brussels (in a trame, 36. Pillow-lace bedspread m:de in 1599 for
Archduke Albert and the Infanta Isabella; 89-42. Lace dating from the
second half of the 18th cent., when the art was at its zenith: 43. Lace
of the 4th cent., after the introduction of a net foundation); 44. Flemish
towns; 45. Valenciennes and Binche; 46 Malines; AT. Smaller tuwns; 48,
49. Silk-lace (blord-lace) ard so-called gould and silver lace; 50,51. Embroid-
ered net, etc, — The following room contains —
“WoRks IN THE Precious Merais, Bronze, anp Ivory. In the middle |
