Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

This more than 70-metre-long frieze was realised in situ and takes the form of a giant collage inspired by the ‘American way of life’, in which Steinberg gave free rein to his inventiveness. Composed of eight series of thematic panels, The Americans is today considered a highlight of the artist’s body of work.

After the closure of Expo 58, the work was acquired by the Belgian State and became part of the collections of the RMFAB. Due to its monumental scale and fragility, this major work is rarely presented to the public, even though it was originally created for an open space meant to welcome thousands of visitors. At the time, the frieze formed the luxurious backdrop for the daily fashion shows organised by Vogue magazine in the heart of the pavilion.

In spring 2025, the three series of panels on view were exceptionally used as the setting for a press preview by the Belgian luxury leather goods house Maison Delvaux during Paris Fashion Week. As a Diamond member of the RMFAB Corporate Club, Maison Delvaux is also supporting the restoration of these three series as well as the five others, contributing to the preservation and rediscovery of The Americans in all its splendour.

These three fragments of Saul Steinberg's work can be seen on the +1 floor, in the temporary exhibition room.