Sculpture and Trompe l’œil in European Ceramics, from Bernard Palissy to the Present Day
Second Annual International Conference on European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Hôtel de la Roche, Mons (Belgium) | 10–13 July 2026
This international conference explores the rich and under-studied relationship between sculpture, trompe l’œil, and European ceramics, from the Renaissance to the present day. Organised jointly by the Centre de Recherches Historiques sur les Maîtres Ébénistes and the Low Countries Sculpture Society, the event builds on the success of its inaugural edition in 2025.
Focusing on ceramics as a sculptural medium, the conference will examine figurative sculpture in the round, relief, illusionistic effects, and the imitation of materials such as wood and precious stone. Papers will address questions of production, design history, collecting, and display, as well as collaborations between artists, artisans, and manufacturers. While drawing particular attention to the ceramic traditions of the Low Countries, the programme spans Europe and North America and includes Art Deco and contemporary practice.
The conference will take place without audience (apart from the speakers, moderators and a few benefactors), but it will be filmed and broadcast live on YouTube for free, on our dedicated channel, « The Low Countries Sculpture Society ». https://www.youtube.com/@Lowcountriessculpturesociety
Proceedings will be published in 2027 in a new academic journal dedicated to European sculpture and decorative arts.
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