Soleil Noir at Villa Empain

This fall, Soleil Noir will present approximately 100 works by exclusively Belgian artists at the Villa Empain. The exhibition spans 130 years of artistic creation and introduces the public to the body of work by Léon Spilliaert in relation to key figures in modern and contemporary art.

The exhibition is organized around themes such as the self-portrait, the nude, melancholy, the landscape, and the North Sea. A superb selection of some thirty works by Léon Spilliaert enters into a dialogue with works by contemporaries such as James Ensor, Constant Permeke, Edgar Tytgat, George Minne, and Henry Van de Velde. The exhibition also highlights the profound influence this Belgian artistic tradition has had on subsequent generations, from Luc Tuymans to Thierry De Cordier, Hans Op de Beeck, and Michaël Borremans.

It is a unique opportunity to discover the many connections between the great masters of Belgian art and artists who continue to shape our view of the world today.

This exhibition will be on view from October 22, 2026, through March 19, 2027.