DOI issue:
No. 261 (December 1914)
DOI article:Buschmann, P.: Belgian artists in England, [1]
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21211#0190
Belgian Artists in England
"THE YSER CANAL WATER-COLOUR BY ALEXANDRE MARCETTE
battles against academism and convention were
won by the adepts of a more independent art; and
in the meantime Belgian plein-air painting has
flourished and found its way to the principal
museums and galleries of Europe. Besides this
many other systems have prevailed and groups
have been formed, and Belgium shows now the
most variegated art to be imagined.
The indisputable leader of neo-impressionism
among us is Emile Claus, the painter of the Lys.
He travelled in Spain, Morocco, Paris, Holland,
Italy, etc., and after a most interesting evolution
had the courage to break with " tradition" and
became a convinced pointillist. He is the brightest
of Belgian painters; he gave the name "Sunshine"
to his pretty old-fashioned cottage on the banks of
his beloved river, and sunshine is the ideal of his
art; light and air vibrate in every one of his
pictures. His Flemish landscapes are generally
animated with figures or cattle, for, besides being a
luminous colourist, he is an admirable draughts-
man ; his drawings in black-and-white reveal the
same research in atmospheric effects, and by the
simplest means he often obtains the most striking
results.
Albert Baertsoen, too, is a Fleming, having been
born at Ghent, where his home is—or was until the
advent of the invader. He works also in Bruges
and at places along the coast. Although younger,
he equals Claus in ability and reputation, but
forms with him a complete antithesis. He does
186
not " divide " his colours, but loves the large and
fluent touch ; quite as sensible to the subtle tones
in sky and light, he feels more attracted to the
hours of twilight, and a deep melancholy often
pervades his works. If Claus is the exuberant
lyrist of sunshine and brightness in the open
fields of Flanders, Baertsoen may be called the
elegist of its old, dreamy little towns. He is a
master-etcher too, and his prints belong to the
very choicest produced in Belgium.
Georges Buysse ranks very near to these two
masters. He is a frank luminist and happily
renders, with his own accent, the luxuriant beauty
of his country.
To continue with the artists who belong to the pro-
vinces of East and West Flanders, we mention Louis
Reckelbus, who is before all the painter of Bruges.
This " grateful " theme has tempted many brushes
but even this makes it dangerous. Reckelbus had
no need to fear this danger, because he intimately
penetrated the soul of his native town, and he de-
picts its most charming aspects in bright and frank
tempera colours.
Valerius de Saedeleer is a quite isolated figure
in modern Belgian art. He has the eyes of a
" Primitive," and renders the fiat, wide far-stretch-
ing landscapes of Flanders with a delightful
minutia. As a careful designer rather than a
colourist, he often paints Winter scenes in almost
monochrome but nevertheless very delicately
graduated tones.
"THE YSER CANAL WATER-COLOUR BY ALEXANDRE MARCETTE
battles against academism and convention were
won by the adepts of a more independent art; and
in the meantime Belgian plein-air painting has
flourished and found its way to the principal
museums and galleries of Europe. Besides this
many other systems have prevailed and groups
have been formed, and Belgium shows now the
most variegated art to be imagined.
The indisputable leader of neo-impressionism
among us is Emile Claus, the painter of the Lys.
He travelled in Spain, Morocco, Paris, Holland,
Italy, etc., and after a most interesting evolution
had the courage to break with " tradition" and
became a convinced pointillist. He is the brightest
of Belgian painters; he gave the name "Sunshine"
to his pretty old-fashioned cottage on the banks of
his beloved river, and sunshine is the ideal of his
art; light and air vibrate in every one of his
pictures. His Flemish landscapes are generally
animated with figures or cattle, for, besides being a
luminous colourist, he is an admirable draughts-
man ; his drawings in black-and-white reveal the
same research in atmospheric effects, and by the
simplest means he often obtains the most striking
results.
Albert Baertsoen, too, is a Fleming, having been
born at Ghent, where his home is—or was until the
advent of the invader. He works also in Bruges
and at places along the coast. Although younger,
he equals Claus in ability and reputation, but
forms with him a complete antithesis. He does
186
not " divide " his colours, but loves the large and
fluent touch ; quite as sensible to the subtle tones
in sky and light, he feels more attracted to the
hours of twilight, and a deep melancholy often
pervades his works. If Claus is the exuberant
lyrist of sunshine and brightness in the open
fields of Flanders, Baertsoen may be called the
elegist of its old, dreamy little towns. He is a
master-etcher too, and his prints belong to the
very choicest produced in Belgium.
Georges Buysse ranks very near to these two
masters. He is a frank luminist and happily
renders, with his own accent, the luxuriant beauty
of his country.
To continue with the artists who belong to the pro-
vinces of East and West Flanders, we mention Louis
Reckelbus, who is before all the painter of Bruges.
This " grateful " theme has tempted many brushes
but even this makes it dangerous. Reckelbus had
no need to fear this danger, because he intimately
penetrated the soul of his native town, and he de-
picts its most charming aspects in bright and frank
tempera colours.
Valerius de Saedeleer is a quite isolated figure
in modern Belgian art. He has the eyes of a
" Primitive," and renders the fiat, wide far-stretch-
ing landscapes of Flanders with a delightful
minutia. As a careful designer rather than a
colourist, he often paints Winter scenes in almost
monochrome but nevertheless very delicately
graduated tones.