Immerse yourself in the fascinating cultural and artistic renaissance of the 1920s, thanks to the War Heritage Institute which is presenting an eloquent selection of vases from our Catteau Collection, as well as the jazz archives of the Robert Pernet Fund.

The end of 1918 saw the end of the conflict, but how to recover from four long years of destruction? The Roaring Twenties was one answer, a wave of madness and creativity that spread through society.

A wonderful selection of ceramics from the Charles Catteau Collection, as well as music scores, records, postcards, photos and magazines from the Robert Pernet jazz collection, loaned by the King Baudouin Foundation, highlight the cultural and artistic renaissance of the 1920s.

The Art Deco style flourished in the immediate post-war period, as architecture, interior design, furniture, tableware and decorative objects all opted for elegant and sober geometric design.

Charles Catteau’s vases, created at the Boch earthenware factory of La Louvière, bear witness to this emblematic time. During this period, Charles Catteau was the manager of the studio workshop, where he introduced not only a wide range of Art Deco decoration, but also technical innovations that enabled the factory to standardise designs.

The Robert Pernet Fund’s jazz archives trace the introduction of new rhythms into Belgium from across the Atlantic and in particular the birth of Belgian jazz and the first Belgian jazz bands, which went on to produce a number of renowned jazz musicians. The archives also illustrate the new unrestrained dances that were born from the syncopated rhythms of the time.

Practical information: 
“Beyond the Great War, 1918-1928”
War Heritage Institute – Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History
Parc du Cinquantenaire 3, 1000 Brussels
Until 10 November, 2019
From 9h to 17 h