The Mysterious Art School Keeping a Forgotten Style Alive
In a chilly studio in Brussels, 28 individuals clad in white lab coats gather each winter to master an ancient art form. The École Van der Kelen-Logelain, a family-run institution founded in 1892, offers a unique and rigorous six-month course in trompe l'oeil painting, a technique that deceives the eye with three-dimensional illusions. Despite existential challenges and a punishing schedule, students from around the world flock to this gothic brick townhouse, drawn by a quest for specialised skills and artistic revival.
A Brutal Routine with Historic Roots
The school operates under strict rules: students must arrive by 9am, wear white coats, work in silence, and endure the cold from an ancient wood-fired stove nicknamed "la mama." The core curriculum, unchanged since its inception, includes sign painting, lettering, gold leaf application, and mastering 28 wood grains and 33 marble types in oil paints. Sylvie Van der Kelen, who recently took over from her mother Denise, demonstrates techniques like painting skies, advising that clouds are "elongated like the human body." Students produce "panels" requiring multiple operations, with homework often lasting until midnight, leading to weekly breakdowns.
Why Students Endure the Challenge
Participants cite various motivations, including dissatisfaction with computer-based industries and a desire for hands-on work. Graduates may find roles as painting assistants, interior decorators, or in film sets and fashion houses. A key influence is artist Lucy McKenzie, whose enrollment in 2007 sparked renewed interest. Her large-scale works, exhibited globally, have attracted a steady stream of students, rescuing the school from a crisis of dwindling numbers. McKenzie calls the school a "national treasure" that should be Unesco protected, emphasising its value in preserving unique techniques.
Cycles of Fashion and Future Prospects
Trompe l'oeil's popularity has fluctuated over 40-year cycles, from peaks in the 1920s-30s and 1970s-80s to a decline in the mid-2000s. Recently, interest has resurged, with exhibitions at major museums and fashion brands like Loewe experimenting with the style. The school charges €13,750, including tools, and faces criticism as outdated, but Sylvie and Denise defend it as a guardian of vanishing skills. Sylvie's son Hilaire may one day continue the legacy, ensuring this enigmatic institution endures for future generations of artists seeking to master a deceptive art.
