Monument met hek 1830 - 1906

This is Edouard Vermorcken’s sketch of a monument with a fence. While its date is unknown, Vermorcken was working in Belgium during a time of great change, when modern nation states were forming, and as a draughtsman, he was concerned with the design of buildings and monuments. This simple line drawing might seem unremarkable at first glance. But let’s consider what it signifies. The monument itself, with its classical design and blank central space, suggests a place for remembrance or honoring a significant person or event. The fence, however, creates a clear division. It sets the monument apart, controlling access and perhaps implying a level of protection or reverence that the artist felt was necessary in a changing world. We can only speculate about the precise context. By researching Vermorcken’s other works, and the political and social history of 19th-century Belgium, we can understand the role of art in shaping civic identity and public memory, and the power of institutions in shaping the reception of art.