The Henry van de Velde archives at La Cambre School in Brussels were bequeathed in 1947 by van de Velde himself and then, in 1960, by his son Thyl. It consists of about 3,000 drawings and 1,000 photographic documents on various media, 800 books from his personal library, objects, writings and manuscripts. The fields covered include architecture, decorative arts (furniture, ceramics, jewellery, textiles), graphic design, typography, bookbinding. Recently, donations from Herman Daled and Pierre Puttemans have completed this ensemble.

The van de Velde archives are unique in their importance and richness. They constitute one of the finest archives collections relating to aesthetics, decorative arts and architecture for the period from the end of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century. In 2010, an important part of the collection is classified as an ensemble, with the qualification of Treasure, by the Belgian Government of the French Community.

Since its creation in 2004, the Fonds Henry van de Velde has played a central role in the management of the archives: scientific advice to researchers, loan control, organisation and follow-up of restoration campaigns, digitisation of the inventory, organisation of exhibitions, publications, grant applications and search for private funding, etc.

The association comprises about fifteen members, art historians, archivists, architects, curators, restorers, essayists, owners of van de Velde houses and young researchers. The directors of La Cambre School, the professor in charge of training in the restoration of works on paper as well as the librarian are ex officio members of the association.

Board

President: Caroline Mierop
President of the Scientific Committee: Anne Van Loo
Treasurer: Thomas Simon
Secretary and Managing Director: Régine Carpentier
Members: Herman Daled, Benoît Hennaut, Eric Hennaut, Priska Schmückle von Minckwitz, Kevin Saladé, Fabrice van de Kerckhove, Estelle Van Geyts, Jérémy Vansteenkiste, Luc Verpoest

Activities

• compliance with and successive improvements to the conservation conditions
• acts of preventive conservation, in collaboration with the Conservation-Restoration department of the School
• major restoration campaigns: restoration of 640 photographic plates (2009-2010) and about 530 very large plans of furniture on tracing paper (two successive campaigns, from 2011 to 2020)
• production of two educational and scientific documentary films on the restoration campaigns
• conception and realisation of three exhibitions to showcase the archive collection and certain aspects of van de Velde's work
• publication of two Cahiers Henry van de Velde, n°14 and 15/16
• co-organising and/or participating in various international conferences and in the publication of proceedings
• regular advice and support for the School in the management of requests for consultation, loans and reproductions by Belgian and foreign researchers and museums.
• provision of documents within the framework of restoration studies of van de Velde buildings
• representation of the association in several cultural and scientific networks and at international events related to van de Velde

Partners and main supporters

• ENSAV - La Cambre
• Wallonia-Brussels Federation
• Baillet Latour Fund, managed by the Fondation Roi Baudouin
• Jonckheere Fund, managed by the Fondation Roi Baudouin
• Henry van de Velde Family Foundation

Contact

Fonds Henry van de Velde
ENSAV – La Cambre, bibliothèque
21, Abbaye de La Cambre
1000 Bruxelles

regine.carpentier@lacambre.be
fondsvandevelde@lacambre.be

• 32 2 626 17 86