Nude! First prizes at the Brussels Academy

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