Friday, October 23, 2026, will be a very special day for Sociëteit De Bock. That evening, the restored bronze bust of our founder, Théophile de Bock, will be unveiled. The occasion also marks the association’s 135th anniversary.

The statue of Théopile de Bock was created in the late nineteenth century by the Belgian sculptor Toon Dupuis and stood for decades in the garden of the HKK, where it had been damaged by the elements. The restoration was carried out by Tonny Beentjes, head of the Metal Conservation Program at the University of Amsterdam, who previously restored, among other works, Auguste Rodin’s *The Thinker*. A large portion of the restoration costs was covered by the Representation of Flanders in the Netherlands, supplemented by contributions from members of the Kunstkring.

The unveiling coincides with OYO Week, during which recent graduates of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts take over the Kunstkring’s exhibition spaces. That evening, history and young talent will come together in one place.

Speakers:
. The statue will be unveiled by Nic Van der Marliere, General Representative of Flanders in the Netherlands. Ton van Kalmthout, chair of the Literature, Theater, and Film at the Haagse Kunstkring and professor emeritus of Dutch literature at Leiden University, will speak about the statue’s donor, Mr. Dr. F.W.J.G. Snijder van Wissenkerke, honorary chairman of the association in 1918 and 1919. Following this, restorer Tonny Beentjes will discuss the restoration process.

The evening will also have a Flemish touch in terms of cuisine: the General Representative of Flanders will bring Belgian beer, which will be served that evening.