Francis Maere Fine Arts

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