Belgium Culture

Belgium culture heritage is very rich but the nation has simply not been around long enough to acquire the cultural roots to which the label ‘Belgian’ can be attached and made readily identifiable.

Belgium culture is concentrated within each language community and it is sometimes difficult to speak of a common Belgian culture. Commen elements of Belgian identity are friendly predisposition and indulgence in life. I think Brugel depicted the Belgian identity spirit perfectly with his paintings of weddings and festivities. Belgians appreciate good food and wine and many celebrations are centered around them.

On the other hand Belgians come across as a lukewarm audience. Concert performers have it though with an audience that is not keen on participating unless really motivated. It is said that if a singer/band is successful in Belgium then there is a good chance they will also be appreciated by the rest of Europe.

None the less Belgium has seen the flourishing of major artistic movements that have had tremendous influence on European art and culture.

Folklore
foundation story of Antwerp. The foundation story of Antwerp depicts a giant, Druon Antigone, who lived in the Steen castle and terrorized the inhabitants of the region. The giant finally met his match when Salvus Brabo cut off his hand and threw it into the river Scheldt. Brabo decided to settle in the are - and soon a city was founded around the castle. The citizens called it Hand-Werpen (Throwing hands), which later became Antwerpen.

Belgium culture: Art

This is the nation that has produced the Surrealist painters Rene Magritte and Paul Delvaux.

The Belgians where at the forefront of the avant-garde in the late 19th century, hosting exhibitions by Cezanne even before he was fashionable in his own country.

It was a Belgian who brought Art Nouveau to Architecture. Victor Horta designed the world’s first Art Nouveau house in Brussels in 1893.

Museums:
The most impressive Belgium art museum is Royal Museum of Fine Arts, in Antwerp. The museum's permanent collection ( Over 7000 works) is one of the most important collection in Europe. It has unique paintings by Flemish Primitives such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling as well as the work of Quinten Metsijs , the founder of the Antwerp Art School.

The Plantin-Moretus Museums in Antwerp is a world heritage site, is the largest publishing house of the seventeenth century.

Belgian Culture through Comics.

As one of the few arts where Belgium has had an international and enduring impact in the twentieth century, comics are known to be an integral part of Belgium culture. Belgian comics are a distinct subgroup in the comics history.

European Comics bloomed after WW II, especially in Belgium, France, Italy and England. As most of you certainly know Tintin, few only could point Belgium as his native land.

Famous Belgian Comic characters.
Tintin
Marsupilami
Smurfs
Lucky Luke
Bob and Bobette (Suske en Wiske)
Blake and Mortimer

The Belgian Music Scene
Jazz musician Toots Thielemans and singer Jacques Brel have achieved global fame. In rock/pop music, Telex, Front 242, K's Choice, Hooverphonic, Zap Mama, Soulwax and dEUS are well known. But one of the greatest contributions to the world of music was Adolphe Sax - the inventor of the saxophone. Another one of my favorites is Django Reinhardt, a Belgian Gypsy jazz guitarist, and one of the first prominent European jazz musicians.

Belgium Food and Belgium Beer are seen by many as part of Belgian culture.

Belgium Recipes:

Vlaamse stoofkarbonnaden aka carbonnades flamandes (a beef stew with beer, mustard and laurel) speculaas (cookie)
Belgian waffles
waterzooi (a broth made with chicken or fish, cream and vegetables)
Endives with bechamel sauce
Brussels sprouts
Famous Belgian Chocolates
Eel in green Paling In 't Groen (river eels in a sauce of green herbs)

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