Charles Samuel – Thyl Ulenspiegel and Nele (reduction of the Monument to Charles De Coster, 1894)

A moment of intimacy and rebellion frozen in bronze: Charles Samuel's reduction of his monumental tribute to Charles De Coster condenses the heart of a national myth into a lyrical miniature. In this more intimate version, probably cast shortly after the original monument's inauguration in 1894, we find the two emblematic figures of The Legend and the Heroic, Joyful, and Glorious Adventures of Ulenspiegel and Lamme Goedzak, seated side by side, modeled with the same finesse, tenderness, and ideological conviction as in the monumental sculpture erected at the Ixelles ponds.
Thyl Ulenspiegel—the rebellious spirit of Flanders—is depicted in all his youth, simply dressed, sword at his side, his gaze fixed on history. At his side, Nele—his faithful companion and conscience—is barefoot, gentle, and strong, her arm resting on his shoulder, her eyes fixed on his with a mixture of love and exhortation. She is not only a muse, but the very soul of the people: the heart of the Flanders Sea, in De Coster's famous words.
This poetic inscription also appears on the green-veined marble base:
“…Do we bury Ulenspiegel, the spirit, Nele, the heart of the mother of Flanders?”
The miniature sculpture faithfully reproduces the central group of the public monument designed by Samuel with the architect Franz De Vestel—a bold choice at the time: to commemorate not the author's portrait, but his characters. The original monument, erected in 1894 in Ixelles, was the first in Belgium to elevate fictional figures to the status of national symbols. It expresses in bronze and stone the enduring ideals of freedom, resistance, and Flemish identity—a synthesis of De Coster's radical humanism and Samuel's poetic realism.
This bronze was cast by the Petermann Foundry, one of Brussels' most renowned workshops for the quality of its artistic castings. This version was likely part of a limited edition, allowing collectors and institutions to acquire a tangible fragment of this heritage work. Although the exact number of copies remains uncertain, each piece bears the hallmarks of Belgian craftsmanship.
Unlike the monumental sculptures that dominate the space, this version invites intimacy. Its scale makes it a silent scene, a discreet tribute to heroism. Every fold of Nele's robe, every tension in Thyl's brow, testifies to Samuel's narrative genius and sensitivity. This is not an allegory, but a tableau vivant: the people in bronze. This work goes far beyond decoration: it is a miniature monument, a condensed myth, a memory in bronze. It speaks of love, freedom, and the ethics of storytelling in troubled times.

Ref: OLU29TCHID