The Christian Silvain foundation was created in Belgium, in 1992. On 28 January 1993, the foundation’s constitution was published in the appendix of the Belgian federal law gazette, on pages 355 and 356. The gazette also contains all necessary information on the founding and other members of the foundation.

The constitution of the foundation defines two main objectives: further the work of Christian Silvain, and arrange for a museum somewhere in Belgium. The publication, in May 2008, of a catalogue raisonné and the present website, for instance, are part of the foundation’s attempt to fulfil the first objective. Indeed, both the catalogue and its online counterpart aim at displaying all artworks of the foundation, and thus at offering an overview of Christian Silvain’s oeuvre. This is even more true for the printed catalogue, which contains several objects and accessories having played an important role in the development process of some of Silvain’s artworks. As regards the second objective, that is the creation of a museum, please refer to section 12, contact and museum.

Finally, it should be added that – according to the notarisation of 16 June 1998 – only the foundation, and more precisely its conservators have the right to decide on the authenticity of whichever artwork by Christian Silvain. Should you have any question or doubt regarding this matter, please don’t hesitate to contact the foundation.

Norbert Keusch, author of the catalogue raisonné

Norbert Kreusch is the conservator of the Christian Silvain foundation. Kreusch and the artist have been friends since their youth. In his position as art historian and scientific adviser to the minister of art and culture of the German-speaking Community of Belgium – and besides the Werkverzeichnis der Christian Silvain Stiftung which serves as a basis to the present website – Kreusch has published  two catalogue raisonné: one on the most important historical monuments of the German-speaking Community, one on the Community’s most notable church contents. He further wrote a guide on the Eupen churchyard as well as several articles in newspapers and magazines on staircases, rural architecture, late-gothic and baroque village churches. In the artistic field, Kreusch and the culture editor and journalist Rudolf Cremer published a catalogue on the art collection of the German-speaking Community of Belgium. Finally, Kreusch was also the author of the first catalogue of the Christian Silvain foundation in 1995, several articles on Silvain, and a monograph on the architect and painter Willy Emonts from Eupen.

The enlargement of the foundation

According to a 2006 decision of the general assembly, the Christian Silvain foundation opened up for other artists and their oeuvre, in order to enrich the collection even more. Since that day, the administrative board has the right to decide on the admission of new artists and works.Only one year later, the foundation gratefully accepted the donation by Theodor Brün’s inheritors, consisting of approximately 400 drawings and oil paintings as well as several sculptures. Further enlargement may follow.