Watching the Tour de France reminded me of some of my Belgium prints..soon to be available…Here’s one from the 1930′s…..a tradition which continues up to this day, so I believe.
“On the first Monday after the 2nd of May, Bruges celebrates the ” Procession of the Holy Blood.” The houses are decorated with flags and flowers, and candles burn at almost every window. Through the narrow streets, between crowds of people standing on the pavements or looking down from the windows, while the church bells ring and wreaths of incense fill the air, bands of music, squadrons of cavalry, crucifixes, shrines, statuettes, images, the banners of the parishes and the guilds, heralds in their various dresses, bareheaded pilgrims from England, France, and other countries, pages, maidens in white bearing palms, crowns of thorns or garlands, priests with relics, acolytes and chanting choristers, pass along slowly. The illustration shows a scene in which boys are dressed up to represent different nations of the world.”
The artist here is William Spencer Bagdatopulos, of whom you may read more…
“Notes on the Visual Arts and Popular Culture”
and see More of his Belgian scenes
