Henri Van Dievoet

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Henri van Dievoet
antique photo of a formally dressed dark haired man
Henri van Dievoet, 1908
Born (1869-01-19)19 January 1869
Brussels
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Occupation Architect

Henri van Dievoet (19 January 1869, Brussels – 24 April 1931) was a Belgian architect.

Biography

Van Dievoet belonged to an old family of Brussels descended from the Sweerts family, one of the Seven noble houses of Brussels, which had already shone in the fine arts of the time of Louis XIV. His great-great-uncles were the goldsmith Philippe van Dievoet and the sculptor Peter van Dievoet, one of the creators of the Grand Place of Brussels. Joseph Poelaert was his great-uncle.

He married Eugenie Ernestine Clémence Hortense Masson in Ixelles on 2 October 1894. She was born in Ixelles on 9 July 1872, daughter of Captain Stanislas Jean Ernest Masson, knight of the Ordre of Léopold, and Marie Eugenie Louise Clémence Mounoury.[1] His first construction project (1889) was the house and workshop of the artist Félix Rodberg, 30 rue Washington, in Ixelles.[2]

In 1890 he participated in the Salon d' Architecture de l'Exposition des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles alongside Victor Horta and of Maurice Van Ysendijck.

In 1894 he won the Grand Prix of architecture of the Town of Brussels for his project "House of Parliament for a constitutional country".

In 1901, he conceived a series of buildings with apartments on Campenhout Street in Brussels. Other works include a house and studio for artist Felix Rodberg in Washington Straat (1889); the Evangelical Church in Haine Saint Paul Jolimont (1890); four houses on the rue General Patton (1895); the Royal Military Academy on the Avenue de la Renaissance, with fellow architect Henri Maquet (1908); and the Hotel Astoria, Rue Royale (1909).

Among his disciples appears Joseph Van Neck, who worked as draftsman in his workshop.

Positions held

He was for many years the secretary of the Central Société of Architecture of Brussels.

Starting in 1910, he was professor with the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.

From 1924 to 1931, From 1924 to 1931 he taught architectural drawing and perspective at the Academy of Fine Arts in Saint Gilles.

Van Dievoet picture gallery
van Dievoet as a child, by Géruzet of Brussels 
van Dievoet, c. 1896. Photo by R. De Man 
The architect Henri van Dievoet as a mason 
van Dievoet tomb in Brussels Cemetery (Grande allée centrale, n°218) 

Family

File:Henri van Dievoet en famille.jpg
Henri van Dievoet with his family

His son, Paul Van Dievoet (born Brussels, 23 August 1896, died Schaerbeek 7 September 1947), was architect for the municipality of Schaerbeek, but also produced private work.

His daughter, Germaine Van Dievoet (born Brussels 26 September 1899, died 30 October 1990 at Uccle), was a championship swimmer who took part in the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp.

Henri Van Dievoet was the brother of the famous decorator and modern-style sgraffitist Gabriel Van Dievoet (1875–1934), whose works still decorate many frontages of Brussels.

He also had a sister, Louise van Dievoet, born in Brussels on 3 November 1880, died in Paris on 26 December 1964. who married André Gachassin-Lafite, Viscount of Orthez, Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, captain to the 3rd regiment of Hunters of Africa (quartered with Constantine, Algérie). He was Military Assistant-Attache with the Embassy of France with Brussels, then Member of the High Commission of the Ministry for the War near the factories Schneider, Creusot (1915–1918).

End of his life

Henri van Dievoet died forgotten and, besides his close family, there was little of the outside world at his funeral: only his friend Victor Horta attended his burial, which took place in Brussels Cemetery in Evere. He is buried in the large central alley, n° 218, under a simple cross.

His work

His work marks the urban landscape of Brussels:

  • Protestant Temple of Haine-Saint-Paul-Jolimont, rue Henri Aubry, dedicated 1 November 1890.
  • Hotel Astoria (1909), Royal street, 103. built for the Brussels International Expo (1910)
  • Firm of Muds, quay of Willebroeck, 22.
  • Arsenal of Cartage, boulevard Louis Schmidt, 1–29.
  • Royal Military Academy, avenue de la Renaissance, 30, in collaboration with Henri Maquet.
  • Diamond Deluxe Hotel, (the future Aegidium), heightening of part of the Moorish room, in Saint-Gilles (Brussels).
  • The hotel De Leeuw, in 1897, decorated with Sgraffite (" Maronniers") by his brother Gabriel van Dievoet
  • Houses on the boulevard of General Jacques
  • Villas in Watermael-Boitsfort on the periphery of Brussels
  • Monument of Leon Rodberg (1832–1888), of Art nouveau style with the Cimetière of Robermont.

In Hasselt, he drew the designs for the National Bank.

Works of other architects Van Dievoet

Several members of van Dievoet's family were also architects.

  • Paul Van Dievoet (1896–1947), his son, architect of the Commune of Schaerbeek
  • Gabriel Van Dievoet (1875–1934), his brother, author of many projects of sgraffitos
  • Eugène Van Dievoet (1862–1937), his first cousin, engineer, professor at the Military academy and architect, member of the Royal Company of Archeology of Brussels, designer of the Brison House, Reyers Boulevard, 120 (blue Stone-built house, style Louis XV).
  • Léon Van Dievoet (1907–1993), his nephew, who in addition to an architectural work left hundreds of drawings, watercolours, paintings and engravings of Brussels that were completed between 1923 and 1993 and which preserve a record of many places that have now disappeared.

Writings

  • "Exposure of work of the pupils of the Co-educational school of drawing and industry of Schaerbeek", in the Emulation, Brussels, 1893, E. Lyon-Claesen, pp. 152 to 154.
  • "Applied Art to the Artistic Circle", in the Chronicle of Public works and Finance, Brussels, 2 February 1896.
  • "Decorative Art", in the Chronicle of Public works and Finance, Brussels, 7 June 1896.
  • "Art with Ixelles", in the Chronicle of Public works and Finance, Brussels, 5 July 1896.
  • "Obituary: Joseph Naert", in the Emulation, Brussels, 1910, n°11, pp. 83–84.

Gallery of his architectural work

Sources

  • This article incorporates text translated from French Wikipedia.

References

  1. L’Éventail, n° 48, 27 juillet 1913, p. 3 : " À Ixelles est décédée, à l’âge de soixante-dix ans, Mme veuve Ernest Masson, née Clémence Mounoury. Cette mort met en deuil : M. Henri Van Dievoet, Mme Henri Van Dievoet, née Eugénie Masson ; M. Marcel van Dievoet, M. Paul Van Dievoet, Mlle Germaine Van Dievoet ".
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External links