LIEGE.-The year 2007 marks three hundred years since the death of one of the key representatives of Baroque sculpture: Jean Del Cour (1631 – 1707). To coincide with this anniversary, the City of Liege, in cooperation with the non-profit-making body " Les Musées de Liege" and the Museum of Religious and Mosan Art, is preparing to pay a fitting tribute to the celebrated sculptor and his magnificent creations.

100 or so works will be showcased at the Liege's church of Saint-Barthélemy through 3 February 2008. Sculpted wood, marble and earthenware will be on display for the delectation of those keen on three-dimensional art and enthusiasts of Baroque art.

Baroque art reached the "Fiery City" soon after the middle of the 17th century thanks to this towering personality, who studied with several major practitioners of this artistic movement, including Gian Lorenzo Bernini, also known as Le Bernin.

All the citizens of Liege are familiar with the name Del Cour, linking it in their minds with one or another of the most famous works, such as the bronze Virgin at Vinâve d’Île, the marble Dead Christ, now at the Saint-Paul cathedral, and the Three Graces surmounting the Perron on the market square.

The church of Saint-Barthélemy will be featuring a wide selection of masterpieces by the artist and some of his disciples and rivals. On top of this, a Del Cour tour will provide visitors with an opportunity to marvel at the splendid examples of Baroque art populating the Liege landscape: these monuments have become so familiar that people do not really notice them anymore. We no longer take the time to take a real good look at them, even though many of us know them very well as landmarks or meeting points. This key event is being underpinned by the appearance of a major illustrated publication (Pub. Racine). The latest monograph on the artist dates back to 1953.

The City of Liege's Deputy Mayor's Office for Sport, "Les Musées de Liege ", the Museum of Religious and Mosan Art (MARAM). With the support of the City of Liege's Tourist Office, Mr Michel Lefftz, the exhibition's curator, a doctor of history of art and author of the monograph "Jean Del Cour" Pub. Racine (2007), Mr. Paul Hautecler, an architect and the person responsible for the exhibition's staging design.