Georges Vandevoorde

Georges Vandevoorde was a Belgian medalist and sculptor, who produced romantic-realistic busts, bas-reliefs and allegorical figures. Vandevoorde studied at the Academy of Kortrijk under Constant Devreese and worked in his hometown of Kortrijk in the workshops of local artists Jozef Lelan and Victor Sileghem. Because his father died when he was only 4-years-old, he had to work as a woodcarver in the furniture industry. He continued his studies at the Academy of Bruxelles under Julien Dillens and Charles Van der Stappen, where he was also influenced by Victor Rousseau, professor of sculpture at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts and later director of the academy, with whom he shared a studio in Bruxelles for seven years. Rousseau encouraged him to drop his restoration work and become an independent sculptor.

Vandevoorde used a variety of materials including wood, stone, ivory, plaster and bronze. He was soon invited to exhibit in Belgium and internationally. In 1912, he was employed as a teacher and later as the director of the Academy of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek and was then appointed inspector of the academies of Brabant. He created numerous monuments, such as war memorials in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, Gembloux and Schaerbeek, and statues, including those of Pieter Coutereel in Leuven, Mayor Reynaert in Kortrijk and Heroes‘ Square in Tienen. Additionals works by Vandevoorde are exhibited in the museums of Antwerpen, Kortrijk, Schaerbeek, Tervuren and Stockholm.