Spaces of Belgian Culture : The Public, the Private, and Strategies of Identification (c. 1850 - c. 1920)(Spatial Imageries in Historical Perspective)

Spaces of Belgian Culture explores Belgian cultural history through the lens of its spaces and spatial dynamics, situating the country as a unique cultural crossroads amid European modernity. Positioning Belgium as a case study of nineteenth-century cultural transformation, the chapters in this book bring together insights from various disciplines. Topics include the negotiation of identity in public and private realms, the role of architecture and interiority, and Belgium’s interaction with transnational influences. Contributions analyze spaces or spatial textures, such as the city and socio-cultural networks, the zoo, the artist studio, the cabaret, the embassy, associational buildings, the home, the museum, the exhibition space, and the colonizer’s house. These are revealing of the tensions between modernity, tradition, and the porous boundaries of Belgian culture. The book contributes to broader discussions on spatiality, identity, and cultural hybridity and will be of interest to researchers in the fields of art history and media studies, literature, and architecture.