From 24 September to 16 December 2016, an exhibition is devoted to Félicien Rops (1833-1898) at the Arc du Creusot in Burgundy. A 19th-century painter and engraver originally from Namur, his reputation has spanned the ages through to the present day. His talent was appreciated by many artists famous during his time, such as Théophile Gauthier and Charles Baudelaire.
For eight weeks, enthusiasts and the inquisitive will be able to discover the talent of the 19th-century artist Félicien Rops through thematic workshops and guided visits. The original exhibition offers about a hundred engravings, drawings, water colours and oil paintings. These have been brought together over the past fifty years by a couple of collectors. They agreed to share their passion for this illustrious artist by lending the works for the exhibition.
Therefore, the Arc du Creusot opens its doors to offer visitors the chance to discover, or rediscover, Félicien Rops. The latter liked to depict death, women, eroticism, and desire based on the themes of political commitment, realism, symbolism, allegory and others. Many paintings or engravings show these forbidden subjects, or vices of the time. He enjoyed defying society's mentalities and most secret beliefs by expressing them through his art.
Félicien Rops gave women a key role. From the modern woman to the debauched woman, he wanted to show the hypocrisy of his time through art, humour and words. Through his works, such as the canvases "Blankenberge sous la pluie" (1878) or "La dame au cochon-Pornokrates" (1879), it is beauty, colour, greatness and the forbidden that visitors will be able to admire at the Arc du Creusot until the middle of December.
