25 JANUARY – 1 FEBRUARY 2026

BRUSSELS EXPO | HEYSEL

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Francis Maere Fine Arts

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ARTWORKS

Additional artworks will be shown on 27/01/2021 !

News

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Francis Maere Fine Arts presents Eugène Dodeigne at BRAFA 2026

Eugène Dodeigne: The Silence of Stone and the Strength of Line
Belgian-French sculptor Eugène Dodeigne (1923-2015) is among the foremost names in twentieth-century European sculpture. His oeuvre, at once powerful and introspective, reflects a lifelong dialogue between man and material. This year, Francis Maere Fine Arts brings an exceptional selection of his sculptures, paintings and charcoal drawings to BRAFA, showcasing the essence of his artistic vision.

Stone as a Lifelong Companion

Dodeigne learned his craft from his father, a stonemason in the Belgian Ardennes. After training at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Marcel Gimond, he developed a profound fascination for stone as a living material. From the 1950s onward, he worked primarily with blue limestone from Soignies, a material that became the hallmark of his art. His early works, influenced by Brancusi and Jean Arp, feature smooth, organic shapes. From the 1960s, he turned to the technique of “pierre éclatée”rough, fractured surfaces that bear the visible traces of his struggle with the material. His figures, often human in form yet universal in spirit, speak through silence. They bear the marks of conflict and tenderness alike - what Dodeigne himself called “a love struggle with the stone.”

The Power of the Drawn Gesture
Alongside his sculpture, Dodeigne developed a powerful body of graphic work. His paintings and charcoal and chalk drawings, often made from live models, convey the same physical intensity as his stone figures. With a few bold lines, he captures movement, weight, and emotion. The sculptor’s hand is always present searching, probing, sometimes raw, yet profoundly human. In the 1980s and 1990s, dance became a key source of inspiration: his lines grew more fluid, his figures lighter, almost in motion...


BRAFA 2026 - Francis Maere Fine Arts - Solo show Eugène Dodeigne

CONTACT

Ghent

Hotel Falligan - First floor

Kouter 172

BE-9000 Ghent

t. +32 (0)9 233 09 93 | m. +32 (0)475 69 23 05

info@francismaerefinearts.be | www.francismaerefinearts.be

ABOUT

Francis Maere Fine Arts was founded in 1995, specialising from the start in Belgian art dating from 1880-1950. With roots on the banks of the famous river Lys, the gallery has focused from the start on artists from Sint-Martens-Latem and the surrounding area. Movements covered stretch from late 19th century plein-airism to impressionism and luminism, symbolism, expressionism and surrealism, right up to the first abstract art movements in Belgium. Since its creation the gallery has participated in numerous art fairs in Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp, Kortrijk and Amsterdam. In 2011 Francis Maere opened a new gallery in Ghent on the first floor of the Hotel Falligan, an 18th century ‘Hôtel de Maître’. The renovated premises have inspired a new focus on modern and contemporary movements. The gallery’s primary aim is to promote Belgian art through exhibitions, publications and joint ventures at home and abroad. Francis Maere is an active member of ROCAD (Royal Chamber of Art Dealers).

Founded : 1995

Specialisations

Belgian painting and sculpture from the 19th to the 21st century

Associations

C.I.N.O.A. Confédération Internationale des Négociants en Oeuvres d'Art, S.N.A. Syndicat National des Antiquaires Négociants en Objets d'Art Tableaux anciens et modernes de France

Fairs

PAN Amsterdam