Year: 1896
Size: 11 1/2 x 16 3/8
Condition: Watercolor and ink maquette. FRAMED
The Palais d’Eté was Brussels' answer to Paris' Palais de Glace—a large-scale indoor ice rink with various performances and attractions. “Burned in 1891, rebuilt in 1894, it could hold 500 people—and was later enlarged. The first floor gallery was decorated by Crespin. The celebrated Loïe Fuller performed there in 1894, and in 1897 a ‘Bioscope’ cinema sequence was the finale of the evening’s performance” (Belle Epoque 1970, p. 39). In this inviting maquette by Crespin and Duyck, there is less text than in the finalized version, allowing us to appreciate the whorls and subdued tones of the composition.