Did you ever wonder why a little boy is one of the best-known symbols of Brussels? That is the question that brings us to the story of the La Vieille Fontaine. Here we are right in front of the bronze fountain sculpture that depicts a naked little boy urinating into the fountain’s basin.
The Manneken Pis which is Dutch for Little Pissing Man is a landmark. The statue’s original name was Menneke Pis or Menneke Pist. In the Brabantian dialect of Brussels, een manneke means a small man. Een menneke means a little boy. Manneken Pis is sometimes given the nickname of Petit Julien in French or Julianske in Dutch both meaning Little Julien. The statue is also sometimes dubbed le plus vieux bourgeois de Bruxelles in French or de oudste burger van Brussel in Dutch the oldest bourgeois of Brussels.
The earliest mention of the existence of Manneken Pis can be found in an administrative document from 1451–52. From the beginning, the fountain played an essential role in the distribution of drinking water. Manneken Pis is depicted again in a painting from 1616 by the court painters Denis Van Alsloot and Antoon Sallaert.
The first statue was replaced with a new bronze version. This 55.5-centimetre-tall bronze statue was conceived by the Brabantine sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder. It was probably cast and installed in 1620. During that time, the column supporting the statue and the double rectangular basin collecting water were completely remodeled by the stone cutter Daniel Raessens.
During its history, Manneken Pis faced many hazards. It survived undamaged the bombardment of Brussels of 1695 by the French army. A pamphlet published the same year recounts this episode. This text is the oldest attesting that Manneken Pis had become an object of glory appreciated by all and renowned throughout the world. It is also the first time that it served as a symbol for the people of Brussels.
In 1770, the column and the double rectangular basin disappeared. The statue was integrated into a new decor in the form of a stone niche in rocaille style originating from another dismantled fountain of Brussels. The water simply flowed through a grating in the ground which was replaced with a basin in the 19th century. In its new setting, Manneken Pis gives the impression of being smaller than in its original layout.
The figure has repeatedly been the object of theft or attempted theft. Legend has it that the statue was removed in 1745 by English soldiers and found in the Flemish town of Geraardsbergen French Grammont. In reality, the first attempted theft was made in 1747 by a group of French grenadiers stationed in Brussels. The population rebelled against this deed and threatened a bloody revenge. To calm things down, the King of France Louis XV offered a gentleman’s gown of brocade embroidered with gold to Manneken Pis. He also authorized the statue to carry the sword and decorated it with the Cross of St. Louis.
The statue was stolen in 1817 by the fugitive Antoine Licas. The perpetrator was heavily punished. The original statue was broken into eleven pieces during this abduction and was restored by a specialized welder. The pieces were matched and used to make a mold in which the bronze statue was poured. The statue was then screwed onto a new base marked 1620 – REST 1817.
Manneken Pis experienced similar misadventures in the 20th century. Two attempted thefts occurred in 1955 and 1957. Some accounts say that it has been stolen up to seven times. Things were more serious when it disappeared in 1965. Restored once again, the statue was sheltered and the original version is now kept and displayed on the second floor of the Brussels City Museum at the King’s House on the Grand-Place. In the meantime, a replica of the statue had already been commissioned by Brussels’ authorities. The new statue was installed in place of the old one. This version still adorns the niche on the Rue du Chêne to this day.
There are several legends behind Manneken Pis. One involving Duke Godfrey III of Leuven. In 1142, the troops of this two-year-old lord were battling against the troops of the Berthouts the lords of Grimbergen in Ransbeek now Neder-Over-Heembeek a northern part of the City of Brussels. To give themselves courage, the soldiers placed the infant lord in a basket which they hung from a large oak tree overlooking the battlefield. While his men were in dire straits, the little duke rose up in the basket and from his perch urinated onto the troops of the Berthouts who eventually lost the battle. The fountain perpetuates the memory of this victory. Another legend suggests that in the 14th century, Brussels was under siege by a foreign power. A little boy named Julianske happened to be spying on them, as they were preparing. He urinated on the burning fuse and thus saved the city.
Today, Manneken Pis continues to be a symbol of Brussels. A symbol of the city’s spirit. A spirit of irreverence, freedom, and unperturbed charm.