Henri d'Ursel
Henri Charles Francis Joseph Marie, 8th Duke d'Ursel (Henri, 8th Duke d'Ursel) (18 November 1900 – 31 May 1974, in Uccle) was a Belgian film director and writer. Known for his surrealist style, directing the film La Perle early in his career.
Also recorded as Henri Charles Francis Joseph Marie, 8th Duke d'Ursel · 8th Duke d'Ursel Henri · Henri, 8th Duke d'Ursel · Henri D'ursel
Henri d'Ursel
- Name
- Henri-Charles, 8th Duke d'Ursel
- Spouse
- Antoinette de la Temoille
- Birthplace
- Brussels
- Occupation
- Filmmaker (1929–1974), Vice-President of the Belgian Royal Film Archive
- Born
- 1900 · Brussels metropolitan area.
- Died
- 1974
- Nationality
- Belgium
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q3132214 · wikipedia · Henri, 8th Duke d'Ursel
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Institutions cited
Bibliothèque nationale de France · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
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Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Henri-Charles, 8th Duke d'Ursel • More — no • Reign — 1955–1974 • Predecessor — Robert, 7th Duke d'Ursel • Successor — Antonin, 9th Duke d'Ursel. • Spouse — Antoinette de la Temoille • Noble Family — House of Ursel • House Type — Ducal family • Birthplace — Brussels • Burial Place — Hingene, Bornem • Occupation — Filmmaker (1929–1974), Vice-President of the Belgian Royal Film Archive
Documentary record
Henri d'Ursel (1900 – 1974) was a director and film director. Both events are recorded by the Bibliothèque nationale de France and the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek.
Family
Family
Henri d'Ursel was born in Brussels, son of the 7th duke of Ursel. During the 1920s, he lived in Paris at the height of the surrealist and avant-garde movements. He married princess Antoinette, the daughter of Louis Charles Marie de La Trémoille, the 10th Duke of Thouars. He became the brother-in-law of Charlotte de La Trémoille and Louis Jean Marie de La Trémoille. They both separated and the marriage was annulled in Rome on 5 June 1936. After he inherited D'Ursel Castle he decided in 1970 to sell the large family estate, since generations in the family. In 1973 the local government of Hingene acquired the ducal estate for €372,000. He left the castle completely empty after he took all the valuable furniture out and deposed the complete family archive in the National Archives of Brussels. He was succeeded by his son Antonin, 9th Duke d'Ursel. The current Duke of Ursel, Stéphane, is his grandson.
Film career
Film career
• Illustration — La Perle (1929) In 1929 he wrote La Perle, under the pseudonym "Henri d'Arches" (the duke of Ursel is Prince of Arches and Charleville), based on a story by Georges Hugnet. Of the filmmaking experience, D'Ursel later said it was made "in the flush of inexperience." Returning to Belgium, in 1937 d'Ursel and Louis Camu founded Le Prix de l’Image, a precursor to film festivals of experimental cinema. At the outbreak of World War II, he and Luc Haesaerts founded Le Séminaire des Arts, a prestigious Belgian film club, and precursor of the Musée du cinéma de Bruxelles. D'Ursel was a friend of both Charles Dekeukeleire and Henri Storck. He was for 25 years vice-president of the Belgian Royal Film Archive, until his death in 1974.
Honours
• Knight of the Order of Leopold. • Knight of the Legion of Honour. • Officer of the Royal Victorian Order.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Henri, 8th Duke d'Ursel, revision 1358277621 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.État présent de la noblesse belge, Annuaire 2013, Brussel, 2013 p.5
- 2.Interieur.
- 3.de Celis, Santiago Rubín. One time magic: The film adventures of Ernst Moerman and Henri d'Ursel. Cork Film Centre. Summer 2011.
References
Citations
References
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Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 31 August 2026.
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