Oscar Jespers
Oscar Jespers
Born in Antwerp, he was the son of sculptor Emiel Jespers and the brother of Floris Jespers. He received his first training from his father and later studied at the National Higher Institute of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Between 1914 and 1918, he advocated for the renewal of artistic forms together with poet Paul van Ostaijen and painters Floris Jespers and Paul Joosten.He became a member of various art associations and travelled through France, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and the United States. He was a professor at the National Higher School of Architecture and Decorative Arts in Brussels and a visiting professor at the Jan van Eyck Academy in Maastricht. In 1961, he also taught at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
In 1952, he created the large monumental bronze sculpture that adorns the canopy at the entrance of the Kursaal. The Four Elements depicts four elegant, streamlined figures, harmoniously united as symbols of water, fire, earth and air. Its dimensions reflect the scale of the building: 560 x 410 x 180 cm. He is considered one of the pioneers of monumental sculpture.
