Louis Thevenet (1874-1930) painted daily life around him: a living room, a picturesque landscape, a café interior, …. He lived in multiple places in Brussels and the Senne Valley and spent the last fourteen years in Halle. His works offer a unique view on the region of a century ago. James Ensor described him as ‘master-painter of the pleasures of Southern Brabant’.
Den AST gathered some hundred masterpieces, mainly from private collections, which offer a beautiful sample of the oeuvre of this wayward Brabant fauvist. Most works are being exhibited for the first time in thirty years, and some have never been exhibited before. This includes a still life that Queen Elisabeth of Belgium purchased in 1910 after one of the artist's many exhibitions. Discover more about Thevenet's adventurous life and his entourage.
The exhibition takes places in two special locations: Den AST – a restored malt house – Villa Servais – the former home of cellist Servais. A dozen works in both places will be replaced by others from 1 July onwards to enable us to enjoy the colourful canvases of this ‘Belgian Van Gogh’ even more.
For families
Friendship book between you and LouisThevenet (only available in dutch)
Get this friend book with questions, assignments, drawings and space for your own artwork at the museumdesk. You'll get to know Louis in a fun way and it comes with a super cool sticker sheet.
Thevenet Workshop
Become an artist yourself! Take a look inside the 'Thevenet studio' and start creating. Explore a finely detailed still life, segmented into 5500 colorful wooden blocks, inviting you to piece it back together into a full-scale, colorful painting.
The garden of Thevenet (in Lego)
Choose a flower packet and recreate the Lego flower according to the plan provided. Afterwards, place the finished flower in one of the vases.
Pennant Game (8+) (only available in dutch)
A pennant is an elongated flag. Those who came on pilgrimage to Halle would take home a pennant. Search for the hidden pennants in the museum and discover what they tell us about Louis Thevenet and his connection to the city of Halle. (Available for free at the museum desk)
Mouse Game (5+) (only available in dutch)
There should be no mice in the den AST museum. The mice have fled from Minou, the museum cat. They are hidden all over the museum. Follow Minou the cat and discover Louis Thevenet thoughout the museum. (Available for free at the museum desk)
Accessibility
The 'den AST' museum and Villa Servais are both situated in historical buildings. The accessibility of these monuments is not optimal for people with physical disabilities. In den AST, circulation to the intermediate floors is done with stairs, making them difficult to access with a wheelchair. However, the ground floor and the museum attic are accessible by elevator. The restroom is also wheelchair-accessible.
Our museum staff will be happy to assist you if you wish. Please contact us in advance, and we will do what is necessary to make your visit as comfortable as possible.
Do you have a parking card for people with disabilities? There is a parking space opposite the museum building (the Meiboom).
Opening hours
The exhibition took place at two venues from March 23, 2024, to October 27, 2024: museum den AST and Villa Servais.
Tickets for the expo at den AST do not need to be pre-ordered but can be purchased at the museum desk.
All discount holders must present a valid proof of discount at the counter.
Access to the expo at Villa Servais is free but only possible during the fixed visit times (see opening hours and closing days).
From 23.03.2024 to 27.10.2024
