Saint-Idesbald is a hamlet, part of Koksijde

Koksijde

Koksijde is a municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders on the North Sea coast, at the southwest side. It comprises the towns of Koksijde proper, Oostduinkerke, St-Idesbald and Wulpen.-Statistics:...

, which also includes Oostduinkerke

Oostduinkerke

Oostduinkerke is a popular seaside resort in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The name Oostduinkerke translates as 'East Dunkirk'. The town originally shared its name with the French city of Dunkirk; therefore, in the 13th century, 'Oost-' was added to its name to avoid confusion with its...

. Its name refers to Idesbald

Idesbald

Saint Idesbald was a Cistercian monk and abbot of the Ten Duinen abbey. He was a courtier and page to the Count of Flanders. It is believed that he was related to or proceeded from the noble family of Van der Gracht, lords of Moorsel.He became a canon priest at Veurne in 1135...

, a 12th century abbot of the Abbey of Ten Duinen.

In 1931, George Grard

George Grard

George Grard was a Belgian sculptor, known above all for his representations of the female, in the manner of Pierre Renoir and Aristide Maillol, modelled in clay or plaster, and cast in bronze....

 set up his studio at Saint-Idesbald, where his house became a rendezvous of artists including Pierre Caille

Pierre Caille (sculptor)

Pierre Caille, born 11 January 1911 in Tournai and died 24 October 1996 in Brussels, was a Belgian sculptor, painter, engraver, ceramicist and jeweller....

, the Haesaerts brothers, Edgard Tytgat and Paul Delvaux

Paul Delvaux

Paul Delvaux was a Belgian painter, associated with Surrealism, famous for his paintings of female nudes.-Biography:...

.
In 1982 the Paul Delvaux Museum opened in Saint-Idesbald.

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