On May 22, 2025, in Lille, art historian Germain Hirsel will lead a conference, with the support of Ophélie Guillerot, on the Roubaix Group and its place in the art market. The event will be followed by a book signing session.

Germain Hirsel is a French art historian, exhibition curator, and author, specializing in modern and contemporary art, with particular expertise in artists from northern France—especially those associated with the Roubaix Group. Since 2005, he has been conducting research, promoting, and sharing knowledge about this artistic movement.


Germain Hirselj

Germain Hirselj works in close collaboration with museums. As a scientific curator, he has contributed to several exhibitions on the Roubaix Group, notably with the La Piscine Museum in Roubaix : La galerie Dujardin (1905–1980), Art in the 20th Century in Roubaix (2011); The Jean Roullands of La Piscine (2013); Henri Delvarre (1898–1974) (2014); as well as with the Museum of Drawing and Original Print in Gravelines (Arthur Van Hecke, At Home Here, 2011) and the Museum of the Abbey Tower in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux (Eugène Dodeigne, Painted Works 1948–2000, 2013).

Through his contributions, Germain Hirselj plays an active role in the rediscovery and reappraisal of an entire facet of 20th-century artistic creation. He is the author and co-author of several authoritative works, including :

- The Roubaix Group : An Artistic Adventure, 1946–1975 (Invenit, 2018)
This book traces the history of the Roubaix Group, a collective of influential northern French artists in the post-war period. It explores the relationships among its members, their regional roots, and their role in the revival of modern sculpture and painting in France.


You can order the books of Germain Hirselj : Hirselj Germain - Auteur Invenit

- The Jean Roullands of La Piscine (2013)
A monographic study of sculptor Jean Roulland, whose powerful and expressive work is emblematic of 20 th century sculpture in northern France. The book accompanies a permanent display of his works at the La Piscine Museum.

- Eugène Dodeigne (1923–2015) : A Retrospective (Invenit, 2021, co-authored with Bruno Gaudichon and others)
This exhibition catalogue accompanies the retrospective dedicated to Eugène Dodeigne, another major figure in 20 th century French sculpture. In it, Hirselj explores the materiality, gesture, and influences that shaped the sculptor’s work.

- Work, Struggle, and Passion: Belgian Bronzes at the Turn of the 20 th Century (Invenit, 2020, in collaboration with Anne Pingeot, Alice Massé, and Bruno Gaudichon)
This book highlights the socially engaged sculpture produced in Belgium around 1900, addressing themes of the working class, labor, and human dignity.

Conference
The Artists of the Roubaix Group and Their Place in the Art Market
Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Lille
Limited seating, registration require : boddaert@aguttes.com