Design for wall painting in the Cloth Hall

Monopoly

From the balcony of the Gulden Halleken, the predecessor of the Nieuwerck, a charter from Count Louis of Nevers is read aloud. The year is 1319. The count prohibits the weaving of cloth in the immediate vicinity of Ypres. This gives the city a monopoly. The news is greeted with cheers by the people of Ypres listening on the Grote Markt.

Charles Degroux

Charles Degroux, born in Komen, was commissioned in 1862 to create murals for the Cloth Hall. They were to depict important moments in the history of Ypres. He received 80,000 francs for this work. In 1862, Degroux was the only artist in our region with experience in monumental historical painting. He enthusiastically set to work and worked hard on his designs. Two years later, he presented a design on cardboard at a major exhibition in Brussels. This life-size work currently hangs in the entrance hall of the Ypres Museum.

At the same time, the Aldermen's Chamber was also decorated by Godfried Guffens and Jan Swerts. Two major projects at the same time... From 1865 onwards, the completion of the Aldermen's Chamber took priority. Degroux continued to work on his designs. On 14 October 1869, important artists such as Jean Portaels, Eugène Simonis and architect Alphonse Balat came to Ypres to study his most recent proposals. They reported to the Minister of the Interior and the realisation seemed within reach. But six months later, on 30 March 1870, Degroux died. He was only 44 years old.

Important acquisition

The purchased drawing is important because it clearly shows how Degroux wanted to adapt the murals in the Cloth Hall to their surroundings: we can clearly recognise the beam structure supporting the roof.

The drawing was put up for sale in 1870 at the auction of the artist's estate. It did not sell and remained in private hands until 1983, when it was purchased (again) by a private collector. Now, for the first time since 1870, the drawing is back in the city with which it is so closely connected.