Paper Beauty. Tulips by Isabelle de Borchgrave

Isabelle de Borchgrave was inspired by the beauty of nature everywhere and throughout her life. Her paper tulips are the crowning achievement of a long career in which flowers and paper took center stage. In addition to classical floral still lifes and botanical models, she also drew inspiration from paper beach flowers, a typical Flemish tradition.  

What appears playful and simple at first glance is, in reality, refined and layered. Creating a single flower could take an entire day. The variety in colors, shapes, and patterns is endless. Whether with bulbs or as cut flowers, the seemingly simple tulip with five petals proves to be surprisingly complex. For this series, Isabelle de Borchgrave carefully dried and studied petals down to the smallest detail. 

Displayed in the library of the Rubenshuis, her paper tulips create a subtle dialogue with the blooming tulip splendor of the Rubens Garden. Three remarkable sketchbooks showcase her fascination with flowers and birds from botanical gardens and natural sites across the world. 

Isabelle de Borchgrave (1946 – 2024) was a Belgian painter and sculptor whose body of work spans art, fashion, and design, Isabelle de Borchgrave’s expressive and colourful creations reveal a relentless need to revisit History and the world surrounding her. Also known for her paper sculptures in trompe l’oeil, Isabelle de Borchgrave’s work is a constant play between textures and colours, illustrating her insatiable appetite to challenge our perceptions of the ordinary. 

Her art has been shown in major museums and institutions across the world; the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The Fashion Institute of New York, The Royal Ontario Museum and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and Boston to name a few. 

Isabelle de Borchgrave’s works can also be found in the permanent collections of the Chateau de Versailles, Tsarkoïe Selo in Saint Petersburg, Venaria Reale in Turin and the Music Instruments Museum in Phoenix, amongst others. 

When

Saturday, April 5, 2025 and Sunday, April 6, 2025

Saturday, April 12, 2025 and Sunday, April 13, 2025

Saturday, April 26, 2025 and Sunday, April 27, 2025

• Each time from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• In the library on the second floor

Location

Rubenshuis, Hopland 13, 2000 Antwerp  

Price  

Free

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