DOI Heft:
No. 263 (February 1915)
DOI Artikel:Buschmann, P.: Belgian artists in England, [2]
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21212#0050
Belgian Artists in England
and somewhat bewildered—by the strong im-
pressions of a quite new world. But they have
soon discovered its peculiar beauties : the majesty
of the craggy cliffs, the everlasting emerald of the
meadows, the rhythm of undulating hills, the mighty
trees spreading out their oddly knotted arms,—
and, before all, the magic scenery in air and water.
Certainly, the heavy, clouded skies of the Low
Countries with their wonderful light effects have
inspired many immortal masterpieces, but the
English atmosphere has its own peculiar charm ; it
may be less overwhelming, but it is subtler, more
diapered, more delicately iridescent with the orient
of pearls and nacre. And the moving veils of
haze and mist afford the most surprising and
delightful effects to every sensible eye.
Times are not propitious to artistic creation—
and it may be some time yet before these fresh
impressions will be reflected by the Belgian artists
in works of durable value. But we know that many
of them, with a praiseworthy courage, have taken
up pencil and brushes and are bravely endeavour-
ing to forget their distress by working. They have
already shown us their first attempts, and if the mis-
fortunes which have befallen Belgium are not to be
overlooked we are confident that its artists will at
least have acquired something by their forced stay
in England ; it will have enlarged their views, en-
riched their minds, and awakened a wholesome
enthusiasm for newly discovered beauty.
The English public, in its turn, has displayed a
peculiar interest in Belgian art; besides the im-
portant exhibition now on at Burlington House—to
which we hope to refer later—some smaller selec-
tions of Belgian works have been on view in London
galleries.
Mr. Paul Lambotte, Director at the Ministry of
Fine Arts in Belgium, succeeded in collecting a
hundred works, all of which have been sold for the
immediate relief of the artists who remained in
Belgium, by a subscription generously patronised
by the wealthy classes of London. Necessarily
they were works of more or less minor importance :
sketches, drawings, water-colours, etchings, but
the exhibition, held in the Goupil Gallery, had a
quite distinctive appearance and proved a gratify-
ing success. Some of the best-known Belgian
artists were represented. We note the following
works, in the alphabetical order of their authors :
one of the masterly etchings by Albert Baertsoen,
happily brought over from Ghent; a pretty little
drawing in chalk, Night Impression at Rhubina,
executed by Emile Claus during his stay in the
neighbourhood of Cardiff; some select prints by
the Nestor of Belgian engravers, Auguste Danse,
and by his daughters Louise and Marie Danse; a
“WINTER LANDSCAPE
44
BY GUSTAVE VAN DE WOESTYNE
and somewhat bewildered—by the strong im-
pressions of a quite new world. But they have
soon discovered its peculiar beauties : the majesty
of the craggy cliffs, the everlasting emerald of the
meadows, the rhythm of undulating hills, the mighty
trees spreading out their oddly knotted arms,—
and, before all, the magic scenery in air and water.
Certainly, the heavy, clouded skies of the Low
Countries with their wonderful light effects have
inspired many immortal masterpieces, but the
English atmosphere has its own peculiar charm ; it
may be less overwhelming, but it is subtler, more
diapered, more delicately iridescent with the orient
of pearls and nacre. And the moving veils of
haze and mist afford the most surprising and
delightful effects to every sensible eye.
Times are not propitious to artistic creation—
and it may be some time yet before these fresh
impressions will be reflected by the Belgian artists
in works of durable value. But we know that many
of them, with a praiseworthy courage, have taken
up pencil and brushes and are bravely endeavour-
ing to forget their distress by working. They have
already shown us their first attempts, and if the mis-
fortunes which have befallen Belgium are not to be
overlooked we are confident that its artists will at
least have acquired something by their forced stay
in England ; it will have enlarged their views, en-
riched their minds, and awakened a wholesome
enthusiasm for newly discovered beauty.
The English public, in its turn, has displayed a
peculiar interest in Belgian art; besides the im-
portant exhibition now on at Burlington House—to
which we hope to refer later—some smaller selec-
tions of Belgian works have been on view in London
galleries.
Mr. Paul Lambotte, Director at the Ministry of
Fine Arts in Belgium, succeeded in collecting a
hundred works, all of which have been sold for the
immediate relief of the artists who remained in
Belgium, by a subscription generously patronised
by the wealthy classes of London. Necessarily
they were works of more or less minor importance :
sketches, drawings, water-colours, etchings, but
the exhibition, held in the Goupil Gallery, had a
quite distinctive appearance and proved a gratify-
ing success. Some of the best-known Belgian
artists were represented. We note the following
works, in the alphabetical order of their authors :
one of the masterly etchings by Albert Baertsoen,
happily brought over from Ghent; a pretty little
drawing in chalk, Night Impression at Rhubina,
executed by Emile Claus during his stay in the
neighbourhood of Cardiff; some select prints by
the Nestor of Belgian engravers, Auguste Danse,
and by his daughters Louise and Marie Danse; a
“WINTER LANDSCAPE
44
BY GUSTAVE VAN DE WOESTYNE