Marcel Broodthaer's
Le Corbeau et le Renard, 1967/68

Artist
Marcel Broodthaers

Title
Le Corbeau et le Renard

Year of creation
1967/68

Year of acquisition
2000

The group of objects has a common reference point in Marcel Broodthaers' environment "Le Corbeau et le Renard" from 1967, the components of which were published as editions by the Antwerp "Wide White Space Gallery" in 1967/68 and in a second edition in 1972. These editions consisted of wooden boxes covered with photographic linen, which contained the typescripted screens intended for the projection of a film, graphics and the 16 mm color film of seven minutes in length. The starting point for the work was a poem by Marcel Broodthaers, at the same time a commentary and a "poème originale" on La Fontaine's fable of the same name, "The Raven and the Fox", which is only recalled in the memory of the writing.

The group of objects acquired by the Association of Friends of the National Gallery is not part of the two editions mentioned, but rather includes various objects that are of central importance to the concept of the "reading exercise". "Maître Corbeau" is the title of a book project that consists of a total of nine sheets with preparatory drafts and drawings and the written style of the drawn texts is reminiscent of a school notebook. “Les Pattes” is the name of a screen print on photo canvas. “Sans Titre” remains two offset prints on roll cardboard that are suitable as text objects for both viewing and reading. "1, 2, 12" is a collage in which the numbers 1, 2 or 12 are presented as numerical references to unrepresented images. "Le Corbeau et le Renard" is the name of another text fragment that Broodthaers wrote on wall textured wallpaper during an action in Brussels, a promotional event for theater performances and poetry readings.

Michael Leilach