Collection

The museum collection consists of two main parts: the Visual arts collection and the Archaeology and Decorative Arts collection. The Broelmuseum mainly focuses on visual and applied arts.

Visual arts

Presently, the Broelmuseum presents a collection of mainly visual arts. This consists of artworks from the 16th century up to the present, by artists who are connected with the Kortrijk region. The collection consists of no less than 1.092 artworks, subdivided into three main groups: the paintings, the graphic works and the sculptures.

Of course, not all pieces are permanently on display. In the French Style interiors of the Broelmuseum you can permanently admire paintings by Kortrijk masters from the 16th up to the 19th century. Especially Roeland Savery plays an important part in this respect, along with other unmistakably masterful artists such as Karel van Mander, Kerstiaen De Keuninck, ... Among the landscape and genre painters, there are works by Jean-Baptiste De Jonghe, Evarist Carpentier, and many others... In the 19th century, the Kortrijk animal painters were of cardinal importance. This is why they are well represented in the museum and why one comes across the names of Louis Robbe, Edward Woutermaertens, Joos Vincent de Vos and Louis-Pierre Verwee more than once in the museum.

The museum presents its temporary exhibitions in the new wing, alternated with presentations of visual and applied arts from the 20th and 21st century. Famous names include Emmanuel Viérin, Albert Saverys, Victor Verougstraete and others, presented individually or in combination with furniture by the Kunstwerkstede De Coene (1888-1960). Highlighted pieces from the late 20th century include works by Marcel Notebaert, José Vermeersch, Octave Landuyt, Marc Stockman, as well as more contemporary artists such as Joris Ghekiere, Johan Tahon, Clarck Clarysse, Nick Ervinck, Dorine Clement, ...

The pieces of Kortrijk silver, earthenware or ceramics, tin, copper etc ... are applied arts that - as predecessors of modern design - mark significant accents throughout the presentation.

Archaeology and Decorative Arts

The Kortrijk museums also conserve roughly 10.000 objects that form part of the Archaeology and Decorative Arts collection. These are various objects that have a connection with the history of Kortrijk. Many of them are displayed in Kortrijk 1302. An important part is the international ceramics collection, which, aside from offering a representative overview of Kortrijk earthenware, includes pieces from reputed production houses worldwide. This collection can presently only be consulted upon appointment.