Mon De Rijck · Mon De Rijck, Carl's father

Sculptures

Mon De Rijck working on a work in his Carrara workshop (Italy), c. 1983. The sculptor, leaning over a marble block, uses a pointing device to transfer measurements from a model to the stone. The workshop, lit by strong side light, reveals tools and blocks in progress in the background.

Direct carving in white Carrara marble and lost-wax casting in bronze: the second half of Mon De Rijck's work unfolds in these two materials. The formal vocabulary is consistent: full, closed volumes, softened edges, a serpentine line coiling the body upon itself, an alternation of mirror-polished surfaces and areas left rough or hammered, where the mark of the tool remains legible. The human figure, almost always female, is reduced to essentials: a curve, an upward movement, a withdrawal.

To work this white marble, Mon De Rijck spent some ten years in Italy, in the small village of Ortonovo, a few kilometres from the Carrara quarries. This immersion allowed him to follow the stone from the raw block to the finished work.

The commission for "De Liefdesborre" ("The fountain of love") originated in a bequest: in 1943 the merchant François De Roy died childless and left 150,000 francs to the municipality of Schaerbeek for the erection of a monument depicting the legend of the fountain of love. It was not until 1986 that the municipality launched the competition; meanwhile the sum had been capitalised and reached 900,000 francs. The jury chose Mon De Rijck's project showing the young Herlinde throwing herself into and drowning in the fountain after a heartbreak. The work was inaugurated on 26 May 1988 in Josaphat Park. According to the legend, in the Middle Ages the noblewoman Herlinde loved the knight Théobald; when he had to leave for his knightly duties, she kept returning to the spring until, heartbroken, she threw herself into it. Later the fountain became a favourite meeting place for lovers: drinking its water together, it was said, would unite them within the year. (Sources: archiviris; Patrick Derom, Les sculptures de Bruxelles. Catalogue raisonné, Patrick Derom Gallery, Brussels, 2002, p. 114.)

Major pieces punctuate this path: "Poging tot geestelijke verheffing" ("Attempt at spiritual elevation") in Antwerp, "De Liefdesborre" ("The fountain of love") in Josaphat Park, "de gevleugelde muze" (1993), and the solar sculpture prototype shown in 1986. The monumental works are conceived for public space: low plinth, multiple viewpoints, a dialogue with natural light and, for the fountain, with water.

The family archives hold photographs of his pieces as well as a preparatory sketch; the locations, dates and provenance of several of them remain to be identified. More photographs will join this chapter as they are digitised.

Unfortunately, Carl De Moncharline was unable to find the name corresponding to each sculpture, except for some of them. Because of the poor quality of certain photographs, some required restoration work by his son, who knows his father's work very well, in order to remain as faithful as possible to his work.

A typewritten list from 1989 records 22 of his sculptures, from "En chaque homme sommeille la femme et vice-versa" (1979) to "Offrande" (1988), giving for each the year, the material (bronze, pewter or marble), the dimensions and the price of the time in Belgian francs, broken down into instalments over 60 months: sculpture thus remained affordable, true to a lifelong fight to democratise art.

Sources: Archives familiales · CV de Mon De Rijck

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If you own a sculpture by Mon De Rijck, whether acquired by purchase, inheritance or gift, Carl De Moncharline would be honoured to welcome it into this album. To contribute to the knowledge of the work, please send a photograph together with the title, date and technique. Every documented sculpture enriches the studio catalogue.

Mon De Rijck (right) pouring molten bronze into a mould, assisted by a companion, in his foundry, c. 1990. AI-retouched photograph.

Mon De Rijck, "Tentative d'élévation spirituelle" ("Poging tot geestelijke verheffing"), 1986, white marble, direct carving, signed "De Rijck 86". A monumental work in situ in the gardens at Biartstraat 2, Antwerp. Its upward movement arises from a helical twist of the block, whose polished surfaces catch the garden light. Photographed in 2018.

Mon De Rijck, "Spiral", c. 1980, bronze, dimensions and place unknown. A free-standing piece with mirror-polished coppery-bronze surfaces. An organic form tightens into a spiral, whose successive folds create passages of light and shadow. The reflective surface captures the surroundings and returns the viewer to the heart of the volume, while the black base stabilizes the tension of the coil. AI-retouched photograph.

Mon De Rijck, "Sous les draps" ("Under the Sheets"), c. 1980, bronze, dimensions and place unknown. An elongated, twisted form wrapped in drapery whose folds sink inward and emerge as sharp edges; polished surfaces catch the light while the recesses remain dark, heightening the sense of the body compressed beneath the cloth. Unretouched silver-gelatin photograph.

Mon De Rijck, "La Femme livre" (The Book Woman), 2020, terracotta, modelled. Made for the artist Chantal Declève shortly before the sculptor's death; it is his last known piece. The female body opens like a hinged volume, a metaphor of the book, in clay left its natural colour.

This work in white Carrara marble by the sculptor Mon De Rijck evokes a female figure with generous, stylised forms. The face, tilted backwards, seems to melt into a broad movement of drapery. The curved lines contrast with the geometric folds of the lower part, creating a balance between softness and power. The photograph was taken aboard the artist's barge.

Mon De Rijck, “Woman Covered with a Shroud”, c. 1980, pewter, sculpture in the round. The pewter version of the draped figure: the pale, matt-polished material softens the folds and unifies the silhouette. Charline Mahy collection. In perfect condition, the piece required no restoration.

Mon De Rijck, “Pleated Bronze”, c. 1980, bronze, lost-wax cast. The metal, worked in broad continuous folds, seems to have been folded back on itself like fabric. The polished surfaces catch the light and bring out the deep shadows of the grooves, while the mass remains compact, resting on a rectangular base.

Mon De Rijck, "Pleated Bronze" (series 03), c. 1980, bronze, lost-wax cast. The sculpture stretches horizontally into a landscape of intertwined volumes: angular stepped planes curl around soft, cylindrical folds, creating a dialogue between geometry and the organic. The dark bronze patina unifies the surface in deep tones, while polished facets catch the light and accentuate the contrast of shadows.

Mon De Rijck, “Folded Woman”, c. 1980, pewter, lost-wax cast. A compact sculpture in the round in which the female body folds against a fan of geometric shapes: the flesh, with its matt polish, contrasts with the dark, angular planes that enfold it. The work illustrates the recurring dialogue in the sculptor's oeuvre between the human figure and architectural construction.

Front view: the figure sits folded upon itself, knees raised and arms crossed around the legs, the head buried in the shoulder. The dark patina of the bronze unifies the silhouette and underscores the passages of shadow between the compact volumes. Bronze, c. 1980.

Mon De Rijck, “Solitude”, c. 1980, white marble, direct carving, shown on a dark plinth during the exhibition aboard the barge. The body folds over its base, the head buried in the crossed arms: the warm light of the room brings out the whiteness of the marble and draws the passages of shadow across the volumes.

“La Fontaine d'Amour” in colour, amid the flowerbeds of Josaphat Park. The white marble stands out against the beds and paths, while the inscription on the plinth pays tribute to the Deroy spouses' gift. Schaerbeek.

Mon De Rijck, "Femme emmurée" (Walled Woman), c. 1985, white Carrara marble, direct carving. The sculpture appears as a vertical block from which a partly enveloped female figure emerges, the movement of the drapery contrasting with the flatness of the wall. Photographed indoors on a red plinth; the image has been restored using artificial intelligence. Private collection of Alberte Legros.

Mon De Rijck, "Enfant de la Lumière" (Child of Light), c. 1980, white marble, direct carving. A child's body curled within a cocoon of undulating folds emerges from a pyramidal base: the figure seems to be born of the stone itself, borne aloft on waves of matter. Period photograph in black and white.

Mon De Rijck, "Femme assise 02" (Seated Woman 02), c. 1980, bronze, edition numbered 6/6, dimensions and place unknown. A free-standing piece built from geometric and curvilinear volumes: a broad tilted band forms the head and headdress, supported by a tapered bust resting on a cubic base. The faceted, polished bronze surface shows a golden patina with coppery highlights, with casting marks visible in the recesses. AI-retouched photograph.

Mon De Rijck, unidentified sculpture, bronze, c. 1980, place and date unknown. A free-standing piece with polished surfaces and an unbroken contour without sharp angles: the form reads as a single whole from every viewpoint.

Mon De Rijck, preparatory study for a sculpture, drawing, technique and date unknown. Volume research through line: the outline defines the mass, while hatching already indicates how shadow will fall across the future free-standing work.

Mon De Rijck, "La Balle de fusil" ("The Bullet"), 1979, bronze, 24 × 8 × 10 cm, stone base, 55,000 BEF. A slender free-standing piece: a sharp cone springs from a sheath of mirror-polished surfaces that reflect the surrounding foliage. The work's tension lies in the contrast between the aggressive point and the enveloping curves that hold it back. Unretouched silver-gelatin photograph.

Mon De Rijck, "La Fille ailée" ("The Winged Girl"), c. 1980, bronze, dimensions and place unknown. A free-standing piece with mirror-polished surfaces: a stylised female silhouette unfolds in two stacked coils – the wing-like hair fans out while the body opens around a central void – and the polished bronze reflects the bed of dead leaves on which the work rests. Unretouched silver-gelatin photograph.

Mon De Rijck, "Femme hiératique" ("Hieratic Woman"), c. 1980, bronze (probable), dimensions and place unknown. A seated sculpture made of angular and curved volumes: a triangular form dominates the upper part, while the body folds into a broad, concave base. The surfaces alternate between matte patina and polished planes, heightening the contrast between the sharp ridges and the deep hollows. Unretouched silver-gelatin photograph.

Mon De Rijck, "Caricatural Sculptures of Generals", from the period of Mon De Rijck's military service, date unknown. Three busts with grotesquely amplified features: prominent noses, half-open mouths baring regular teeth, bulging foreheads and staring eyes. Parodic military details (kepi, collars, decorations, fleuron) identify the subjects as generals, while the expressive modelling turns authority into grimace. Silver-gelatin photograph.

Mon De Rijck, "Les mauvaises langues", solar sculpture, 1982, pewter, 23 x 43 x 28 cm (240,000 FB in 1989). A horizontal composition: tapering forms converge in a sheaf, the polished metal reflecting light like a reflector. The term "solar sculpture" refers to a device of hundreds of light-emitting diodes integrated into the surface and tinted to match the colour of the pewter. Invisible by day, they illuminated the work after dark. At a time when solar installations were still uncommon, this approach reflects an early technical investigation. Retouched photograph: the original shot was of too poor quality to be published.

Mon De Rijck, "Femme phallus" (Phallus Woman), c. 1979, polished bronze, lost-wax casting. A single rising form, at once feminine and phallic, its mirror surface merging both natures into one sensual volume. The work is presented on a dark wooden pedestal decorated with cartouches, giving it the bearing of a trophy.

Mon De Rijck, “Woman Covered with a Shroud”, c. 1980, bronze, lost-wax cast, dark patina. The drapery, rendered in broad continuous folds, follows the body without describing it: the figure is sensed beneath the cloth, between presence and effacement. The foot could not be properly recovered during the restoration of the photograph.

Mon De Rijck, “Pleated Bronze” (series 02), c. 1980, polished bronze, set on a dark stone base. In this second series, the folds widen into generous waves, heightened by a green patina in the hollows that emphasizes the depth of the creases. The golden bronze surface plays with the light, turning the metal into a soft, moving fabric.

Mon De Rijck, "Femme assise" (Seated Woman), c. 1980, bronze. A stylised seated female figure with compact volumes and polished surfaces. The sculpture rests on a veined marble base, while the warm bronze catches the natural light. The pose, folded in on itself, gives the work a meditative, solid presence.

Mon De Rijck, "Femme couteau" (Knife Woman), c. 1980, unidentified material, dimensions unknown. A tall, slender vertical sculpture: an ascending, almost sharpened blade dominates the composition, while a swollen, rounded form adjoins it at mid-height. The contrast between the linear tension of the summit and the fullness of the body gives the work a silhouette at once fragile and assertive, suspended between figuration and abstraction. Period photograph.

Overall view of the exhibition in Mon De Rijck's barge: on the left, “Ce matin un lapin”, a white sculpture with upright ears; on the right, “Sac poubelle militaire”, with camouflage covering. Materials not specified.

Typewritten list from 1989: 22 sculptures by Mon De Rijck, with year, material, dimensions, price in Belgian francs and monthly instalment over 60 months. Family archives. — List of Sculptures and Prices, 1989

Document transcription

List of works (1989) - year, material, dimensions, price and monthly instalment over 60 months, in Belgian francs:
1. "En chaque homme sommeille la femme et vice-versa" - 1979, bronze, 64 x 40 x 30 - 220,000 FB (3,887 FB/month)
2. "La balle de fusil" - 1979, bronze, 24 x 08 x 10 - 55,000 FB (973 FB/month)
3. "La serpe" - 1980, bronze, 52 x 14 x 22 - 120,000 FB (2,120 FB/month)
4. "La mort génératrice de vie" - 1981, bronze, 35 x 30 x 25 - 140,000 FB (2,483 FB/month)
5. "La dépression après la délivrance" - 1981, bronze, 18 x 27 x 31 - 120,000 FB (2,120 FB/month)
6. "La vague" - 1981, bronze, 21 x 40 x 22 - 120,000 FB (2,120 FB/month)
7. "Au début il y avait quoi ?" - 1981, bronze, 16 x 32 x 27 - 120,000 FB (2,120 FB/month)
8. "Huis clos" - 1981, pewter, 17 x 40 x 37 - 120,000 FB (2,120 FB/month)
9. "Ceci est mon corps" - 1982, bronze, 16 x 30 x 30 - 120,000 FB (2,120 FB/month)
10. "Simulacre d'une rencontre" - 1982, pewter, 09 x 12 x 14 - 35,000 FB (619 FB/month)
11. "Sauve qui peut" - 1982, bronze, 10 x 25 x 15 - 45,000 FB (795 FB/month)
12. "Le bon sens" - 1982, bronze, 08 x 16 x 10 - 35,000 FB (619 FB/month)
13. "Les mauvaises langues" (solar sculpture) - 1982, pewter, 23 x 43 x 28 - 240,000 FB (4,240 FB/month)
14. "Le replis des amoureux" - 1982, marble, 29 x 46 x 28 - 165,000 FB (2,915 FB/month)
15. "L'attente" (Fabienne) - 1983, bronze, 35 x 30 x 15 - 120,000 FB (2,120 FB/month)
16. "La prison mobile" (Fabienne) - 1983, bronze, 24 x 34 x 30 - 120,000 FB (2,120 FB/month)
17. "La fontaine d'amour" (Fabienne) - 1983, marble, 56 x 40 x 24 - 165,000 FB (2,915 FB/month)
18. "L'apprentissage des degrés" - 1986, bronze, 27 x 22 x 20 - 100,000 FB (1,767 FB/month)
19. "Tentative d'élévation spirituelle" - 1986, marble, 46 x 33 x 30 - 165,000 FB (2,915 FB/month)
20. "Le grand silence" (Annick) - 1987, bronze, 23 x 36 x 34 - 120,000 FB (2,120 FB/month)
21. "Lucy" (Annick) - 1987, marble, 30 x 110 x 55 - 375,000 FB (6,625 FB/month)
22. "Offrande" (Annick) - 1988, bronze, 19 x 45 x 30 - 120,000 FB (2,120 FB/month)

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