Joseph Ducaju was a leading 19th‑century Belgian sculptor and painter, celebrated for his monumental civic and allegorical works. Born in Antwerp in 1823, he studied at the Antwerp Academy between 1842 and 1847, then perfected his craft in the studio of Joseph  Geefs. Ducaju quickly emerged as a central figure in the Belgian nation‑building era, creating sculptures that honored key personalities and ideals within the young state.

In 1846, Ducaju won the prestigious Prix de Rome, launching a distinguished public career. He became renowned for his contributions to civic architecture across Belgium. Among his major public commissions are statues of Boduognat (a chieftain of the Nervii), Baron Leys (the Antwerp painter), David Teniers the Younger, Gabriel Mudaeus, and King Leopold II. His most iconic achievement, the colossal Thémis casquée (1880), crowns the Palace of Justice in Brussels—a 25‑ton marble colossus symbolizing justice and national ambition.

Ducaju’s style is grounded in Neoclassical tradition, yet imbued with national symbolism that resonated with Belgium’s emerging identity. His mastery of anatomical form and dynamic composition allowed him to align academic conventions with emotional expressiveness. In doing so, he made civic monuments resonate with public sentiment and historical memory.

Beyond public sculpture, Ducaju produced genre paintings and smaller historical figures, all reflecting the cultural currents of his era. His works were regularly exhibited at national salons and remain referenced in major texts on Belgian art and sculpture.

Joseph Ducaju died in 1891, yet his legacy endures in the architectural and cultural fabric of Belgium. His monumental works continue to stand as cornerstones of the nation’s visual identity, embodying the ideals, aspirations, and collective memory of a formative epoch in Belgian history.

Literature :

• ENGELEN, C., & MARX, M. La Sculpture en Belgique à partir de 1830. Tome III. Louvain : Engelen – Marx, 2006, pp. 1357-1359.

• VÉRON, T. Salon de Paris en 1878 et Exposition Universelle. Dictionnaire Véron, 1878, p. 309.

• Commissariat Général. Catalogue de l’Exposition Universelle de Paris 1878 (3e éd.), Paris : Imprimerie Nationale, 1878, p. 317.

• DE PESQUIDOUX, D. L’Art dans les Deux Mondes, Paris : E. Plon & Cie, 1881, p. 368.

• BENEZIT, E. Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs. Tome 4, Éditions Gründ, Paris, 1999, p.784.