visitMons - Grégory Mathelot
visitMons - Grégory Mathelot
visitMons - Grégory MathelotVan Gogh’s visit to the Marcasse site is documented through a letter he wrote to his brother Théo in April 1879.
"Not long ago, I made a very interesting excursion; in fact, I spent 6 hours in a mine. And in one of the oldest and most dangerous mines in the area, called Marcasse […]. We went down together, this time 700 meters deep, and we were in the most hidden corners of this underground world. […] when looking up, you can barely see the daylight, about the size of a star in the sky."
This visit left a strong impression on him, so much so that starting in 1882 in The Hague, he began cutting out and collecting realistic black-and-white engravings from magazines. These prints, which illustrate, among other things, the working conditions of miners and animals, explosions of firedamp, and the rescue of victims, would serve as the basis for his personal creations around the mining world.
The Marcasse site belonged to the Compagnie des Charbonnages Belges and had 11 active shafts. Since the site closed in 1954, it has undergone natural afforestation. A large part of the spoil heap and the surrounding area are now classified as a Natura 2000 reserve.
The former industrial buildings are now privately owned by Mr. and Mrs. Riccardo and Nadine Barberio-Gravis, who occasionally organize cultural events.
GOOD TO KNOW
The Marcasse site is also accessible with the Van Gogh Pass, available for purchase from visitMons.
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7 Sentier de Saint-Ghislain,7340 Wasmes
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