Mecenas
Mecenas is the Faculty circle for students of Art Sciences at the Faculty of Arts of the KU Leuven.
Contents
History
On 1 August 1942, Pieter Wijnants wrote a letter to Monsignor H. Van Waeyenbergh, rector magnificus of the KU Leuven, stating: 'Herewith we have the honour and pleasure of informing you of the foundation of the Nederlandsch Kunsthistorisch Gezelschap at our University of Leuven. This institution groups the Dutch-speaking students of Art History and Archaeology, with the aim of establishing a close link between their professors and other experienced and recognised art historians on the one hand and the up-and-coming students on the other.' Pieter Wijnants also has the honour of being founding praeses of this society. This letter is the start of the long history of the Faculty circle for Art Sciences that eventually ends in the present-day Maecenas.
In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, the Nederlandsch Kunsthistorisch Gezelschap operation gradually continued under the Vlaamse Kunsthistorische Kring (KHK). Besides recreational activities such as Thé-Dansants and cantuses, the KHK also held, among other things, Bible evenings and the traditional Christmas play every year. As a reference within the cultural activities of the various Leuven faculty circles, the KHK regularly collaborated in the field of culture with other faculty circles such as Klio and Ekonomika. Also within the then umbrella K.V.H.V-Cultuur, the predecessor of Kultuurraad and today's LOKO-Cultuur, the KHK's input was often of great importance.
In the 1970s, the circle operation evolved in parallel with the organisation of the department. Successively, the Kunstwetenschappelijke en Archeologische Kring (KWAK) and Kunstwetenschappelijke, Archeologische en Musicologische Kring (KWAM) represented the interests of the students of the fourth floor of the Faculty of Arts building. However, both attempts to unite the three directions of the department were not long-lived.
The art historians therefore took matters in hand in academic year 1979-1980 and started a circle operation again. Initially only for art scientists, since the failure of the previous circles was partly due to cooperation with archaeologists and musicologists. It was thought that after a few years, coordination with the other two disciplines would be restored. On Monday 29 October 1979, under the slogan "KWAM went, what's coming?", the first praesidium meeting of Mecenas took place at a kot in the Parijsstraat. The name Mecenas was chosen by consensus among names like Artes, Venus and Midas. The start to initiatives like the magazine 'Tenieke' was taken. What started as a first-candidate initiative in academic year 1978-1979, was expanded into an information sheet for all art science students in the first patronage year 1979-1980. Another important date is 19 December 1980. That day, a first joint meeting between the Faculty Circles of Arts (Germania, Mecenas, Romania, Klio and Historia) took place with the aim of founding the non-profit organisation Fakbar Letteren at Blijde Inkomststraat 11.
On 18 May 2014, Jasmien Schutz, Shara Van Doorslaer and a number of former (vice) praesides founded Mecenas Kunstwetenschappen VZW. Mecenas would not be what it is today without the many volunteers who dedicate themselves to the circle year after year.
Colours
The colours of Mecenas are Green-Grey-Red.
Song
Melody: Het loze vissertje
- In Leuven bij Mecenas
Daar is het altijd pret (ja pret)
Jan Van der Stock heeft ons gesticht
Hij is een toffe ket (ja ket)
- Chorus:
- Het dadaïsme, ’t surrealisme
- Het futurisme en het kubisme
- Rubens, Da Vinci en Van Mander
- Met hun(ne) schetsboek in de hand (ja hand)
- Kloosters, abdijen (en) manuscripten
- Daar weten wij nu alles van (ja van)
- Het dadaïsme, ’t surrealisme
- Of je nu houdt van schilderkunst
Beeldhouwkunst of archi-tectuur
Mecenassers gaan voor elkaar
Maar al te graag door ’t vuur (ja vuur)
- Ook onderzoeken doen we graag
Dat is toch echt ons ding (ja ding)
Maar nu draait het om feesten
Dus pak je glas en zing (ja zing)
List of Praesides
| Year | Praeses |
|---|---|
| 1979 - 1980 | Jan Van der Stock |
| 1980 - 1981 | Jan Van der Stock |
| 1981 - 1982 | Nicole Grobet |
| 1982 - 1983 | Johan Vandermeulen |
| 1983 - 1984 | Ann Hoste |
| 1984 - 1985 | Filip Demeyer |
| 1985 - 1986 | Bernard De Scheermaker, Natalie Verstraeten en Arnout Fierens |
| 1986 - 1987 | Jan Grieten en Kristin Verboven |
| 1987 - 1988 | Chris Mees en Frank Huygens |
| 1988 - 1989 | Emmy Toonen en Veerle Aendekerk |
| 1989 - 1990 | Christophe Libberecht |
| 1990 - 1991 | Kristien Opstaele |
| 1991 - 1992 | ? |
| 1992 - 1993 | Jan Degeest |
| 1993 - 1994 | Han Coolen |
| 1994 - 1995 | Wim Verhulst |
| 1995 - 1996 | Melissa ? |
| 1996 - 1997 | Kris Vanschoenwinkel |
| 1997 - 1998 | Veerle Mans |
| 1998 - 1999 | Joris Van Grieken |
| 1999 - 2000 | Baudouin Van den Brande |
| 2000 - 2001 | Baudouin Van den Brande |
| 2001 - 2002 | Maarten Luts en Bert Watteeuw |
| 2002 - 2003 | Lies Van Den Broeck |
| 2003 - 2004 | Emmanuelle Van Loon |
| 2004 - 2005 | Elien Haentjens |
| 2005 - 2006 | Thomas Vandormael |
| 2006 - 2007 | Nelle Alles |
| 2007 - 2008 | Leen Baetens en Terry Casaer |
| 2008 - 2009 | Annemie Vandenbosch |
| 2009 - 2010 | Kelly Van Rillaer |
| 2010 - 2011 | Charlotte de Koninck |
| 2011 - 2012 | Matthias Nijs |
| 2012 - 2013 | Eva Vandepitte |
| 2013 - 2014 | Jasmien Schutz |
| 2014 - 2015 | Cilia Gouwy |
| 2015 - 2016 | Amber Florizoone |
| 2016 - 2017 | Eva Wuytjens, Eva Vanacker en Marthe Mas |
| 2017 - 2018 | Lara Peeters |
| 2018 - 2019 | Celien Govaerts, Charlotte Valgaeren en Lise Vandewal |
| 2019 - 2020 | Lise Vandewal |
| 2020 - 2021 | Stien Pluym |
| 2021 - 2022 | Stien Pluym |
| 2022 - 2023 | Senne Mentens |
| 2023 - 2024 | Elien Peetermans |
Sources
- https://www.facebook.com/kring.mecenas (2023)
- http://mecenas-kul.be/ (2013 & 2023)
