This book elaborates on the social and cultural phenomenon of national schools during the nineteenth century, via the less-studied field of sculpture and using Belgium as a case study. The role, importance of and emphasis on certain aspects of national identity evolved throughout the century, while a diverse array of criteria were indicated by commissioners, art critics, or artists, that supposedly constituted a "national sculpture." By confronting the role and impact of the four most crucial actors within the artistic field (politics, education, exhibitions, public commissions) with a...