Institut Saint-Luc
Encyclopedia
The Institut Saint-Luc is an arts school in Brussels. It consists of six departments, with a total of 2200 students and some 430 employees, divided over five locations in Ixelles and Saint-Gilles
.
, a French order created in 1680 by Jean-Baptiste de la Salle
in France. Different Saint-Luc Institutes were founded all over Belgium, the first one in 1863 in Ghent
. The first school in Brussels is founded in 1882 in Molenbeek, which moved in 1887 to Schaerbeek. In 1904, works start for a new Institute in Saint-Gilles, then called the Institut Jean Béthune, with in total 14 students. Works on this school are finished by 1908. This is still one of the current locations of the school, although it has been renovated and expanded since, especially from 1995 on.
, who had worked since 20 years for the two leading Belgian comics magazines Spirou
and Tintin
, started a course in comics, with the support of Hergé
, an alumnus of the Institut. It was the first of its kind in Belgium, and was soon developed into a full Bachelor. Eddy Paape was followed by Claude Renard in 1976. The course soon become a well-known breeding ground for new Belgian talent. From 1975 on, they produced the magazine Le 9ème rêve (The 9th Dream, a reference to the in Belgium and France commonly used description of comics as the 9th Art). This magazine receivces in 1978 the Award for the best promotion of comics from the French Angoulême International Comics Festival
. Later teachers include alumnus François Schuiten
. Between 1984 and 2006, 286 students received a Bachelor in Comics.
About 50% of the students later work in the comics industry.
Saint-Gilles
Saint-Gilles is the name of several places, most of them named after Saint Giles.-Belgium:* Saint-Gilles is the French name for a municipality in the bilingual Brussels-Capital Region...
.
History
The school was founded by members of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian SchoolsInstitute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...
, a French order created in 1680 by Jean-Baptiste de la Salle
Jean-Baptiste de La Salle
Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle or John Baptist de La Salle was a priest, educational reformer, and founder of Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools...
in France. Different Saint-Luc Institutes were founded all over Belgium, the first one in 1863 in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
. The first school in Brussels is founded in 1882 in Molenbeek, which moved in 1887 to Schaerbeek. In 1904, works start for a new Institute in Saint-Gilles, then called the Institut Jean Béthune, with in total 14 students. Works on this school are finished by 1908. This is still one of the current locations of the school, although it has been renovated and expanded since, especially from 1995 on.
Organisation
The school (called both Institut and Instituts, depending on the point of view) is divided in six departments:- ESA, the Ecole Supérieure des Arts (Higher School of Arts), with 620 students: studies include a Bachelor (three years) a Master (one additional year) and a specialized Master (one additional year)
- ERG, the Ecole des Recherches Graphiques (School for Graphical Research), with 320 students: Bachelor (three years), Master (one additional year) and Specialized Master (one additional year)
- ISA, the Institut Supérieure d'Architecture (Higher Institute for Architecture), with 325 students: studies include a Bachelor (three years) and Master (two additional years)
- ISURU, the Institute Supérieure d'Urbanisme et de Rénovation Urbaine (Higher Institute for Urbanism and Urban Renovation), with 45 students: created in 1947, this is a post-graduate school with a three year course (evening studies).
- ISES, The Institut Saint-Luc d'Enseignement Secondaire (Saint-Luc Secondary School), with 460 students
- EPS, the Ecole de Promotion Sociale (School for Social Promotion), with 440 students
The comics division
In 1969, comics creator Eddy PaapeEddy Paape
Eddy Paape is a Franco-Belgian comics artist best known for illustrating the series Luc Orient.-Biography:Eddy Paape was born in Grivegnée , Belgium in 1920...
, who had worked since 20 years for the two leading Belgian comics magazines Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
and Tintin
Tintin (magazine)
Le journal de Tintin or Kuifje , was a weekly Belgian comics magazine of the second half of the 20th century...
, started a course in comics, with the support of Hergé
Hergé
Georges Prosper Remi , better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. His best known and most substantial work is the 23 completed comic books in The Adventures of Tintin series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, although he was also...
, an alumnus of the Institut. It was the first of its kind in Belgium, and was soon developed into a full Bachelor. Eddy Paape was followed by Claude Renard in 1976. The course soon become a well-known breeding ground for new Belgian talent. From 1975 on, they produced the magazine Le 9ème rêve (The 9th Dream, a reference to the in Belgium and France commonly used description of comics as the 9th Art). This magazine receivces in 1978 the Award for the best promotion of comics from the French Angoulême International Comics Festival
Angoulême International Comics Festival
The Angoulême International Comics Festival is the largest comics festival in Europe. It has occurred every year since 1974 in Angoulême, France, in the month of January.The four-day festival is notable for awarding several prestigious prizes in cartooning...
. Later teachers include alumnus François Schuiten
François Schuiten
Baron François Schuiten is a Belgian comic book artist. He is best known for drawing the series Les Cités Obscures.-Biography:François Schuiten was born in Brussels, Belgium in 1956....
. Between 1984 and 2006, 286 students received a Bachelor in Comics.
About 50% of the students later work in the comics industry.
Notable alumni
- Kitty CrowtherKitty CrowtherKitty Crowther is an author and illustrator of children's literature. She won the 2010 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.-Biography:...
- Jean-Michel FolonJean-Michel FolonJean-Michel Folon was a Belgian artist, illustrator, painter, and sculptor. Folon was born in Uccle, Brussels, Belgium in 1934 where he studied architecture at the Institut Saint-Luc. In 1955 he settled in a gardener’s house in the outskirts of Paris. Over a period of five years he drew morning,...
- André FranquinAndré FranquinAndré Franquin was an influential Belgian comics artist, whose best known comic strip creations are Gaston and Marsupilami, created while he worked on the Spirou et Fantasio comic strip from 1947 to 1969, during a period seen by many as the series' golden age.-Franquin's beginnings:Franquin was...
- HergéHergéGeorges Prosper Remi , better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. His best known and most substantial work is the 23 completed comic books in The Adventures of Tintin series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, although he was also...
- Philippe LafontainePhilippe LafontainePhilippe Lafontaine is a Belgian singer and composer.Lafontaine was born in Gosselies, Belgium. He spent a short time in a Jesuit college that he left at 17 to pursue a career in music. His first successes came from the writing and recording of jingles for television commercials Philippe...
- MidamMidamMidam is the pseudonym of Michel Ledent, the Belgian comics author best known for Kid Paddle.-Biography:Michel Ledent was born in Etterbeek near Brussels in 1963. He studied illustration and interior decoration at the Institut Saint-Luc in Brussels, and started creating comics in 1989 for the...
- Eddy PaapeEddy PaapeEddy Paape is a Franco-Belgian comics artist best known for illustrating the series Luc Orient.-Biography:Eddy Paape was born in Grivegnée , Belgium in 1920...
- PichaPichaJean-Paul "monda" Walravens is a cartoonist and film director. He was born in Brussels, Belgium.-Biography:Jean-Paul Walravens, quickly fascinated by drawing, performs his studies at the Institute of Fine Arts Saint-Luc...
- Benoît PoelvoordeBenoît PoelvoordeBenoît Poelvoorde is a Belgian actor and comedian who often associates cynicism, humour and drama in his movies.His mother was a grocer and his father a driver, who died when Poelvoorde was still young...
Alumni from the comics division
- AndreasAndreas (comics)Andreas, pen name for Andreas Martens, born January 3, 1951 in Weißenfels , studied at the St. Luc comics school in Belgium, assisting Eddy Paape on Udolfo, before relocating to France...
- Jo-El AzaraJoseph LoeckxJoseph Franz Hedwig Loeckx is a Belgian comic book artist. He works under the pseudonym of Jo-El Azara. Important series he has worked on include Clifton and Taka Takata.-Biography:...
- Pierre Bailly
- Philippe Berthet
- Frédéric Bézian
- Antonio Cossu
- Denis Deprez
- Chantal de Spiegeleer
- Franz Drappier
- Philippe FrancqPhilippe FrancqPhilippe Francq is a Belgian comic book artist, best known for the series Largo Winch.-Biography:Philippe Francq was born in Etterbeek in 1961. He was since his youth an ardent comic reader, who grew up with the comics from Tintin magazine from the 1950s...
- André GeertsAndré GeertsAndré Geerts was a Belgian comics creator best known for his series Jojo.-Biography:André Geerts was born in Brussels in 1955. He studied at the Institut Saint-Luc art school in Brussels...
- Alain Goffin
- Bernard HislaireBernard HislaireBernard Hislaire is a Belgian comic book creator. He is also known as Sylaire and as Yslaire, his current artist name.-Biography:...
- Jean-David MorvanJean-David MorvanJean-David Morvan is a French comics author.Jean-David Morvan studied arts at the Institut Saint-Luc in Brussels. Morvan first tried being a comics artist, but soon realised that his true strength is storytelling, and so now he is best known as a comics writer...
- Frank PéFrank PéFrank Pé, often signing solely as Frank is a Belgian comic book artist, best known for Broussaille and Zoo.-Biography:Frank Pé was born in Ixelles in 1956...
- Plantu
- François SchuitenFrançois SchuitenBaron François Schuiten is a Belgian comic book artist. He is best known for drawing the series Les Cités Obscures.-Biography:François Schuiten was born in Brussels, Belgium in 1956....
- Benoît SokalBenoît SokalBenoît Sokal is a Belgian comic artist and video game developer, best known for his comics series Inspector Canardo.-Biography:...
- Yves Swolfs
External links
- Homepage
- Homepage of EPS
- Homepage of ERG
- Homepage of ESA
- Homepage of ISA
- Homepage of ISURU
- Homepage of SEC
- Interview in ActuaBD for the 30 years of the Comics department