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Flemish Expressionism, also referred to as Belgian Expressionism, was one of the dominant art styles in Flanders during the interbellum. Influenced by artists like James Ensor and the early works of Vincent van Gogh, it was a distinct contemporary of German Expressionism. Contrary to the more rebellious and erotic nature of many German Expressionist works, the Flemish art of the School of Latem was more oriented towards the farming life, and was expressed in earthy colours and vigorous brushwork. It was also in general more oriented towards France and Brussels than to Germany, and incorporated elements of Fauvism and Cubism, for example the interest in "primitive" art, of both the ethnic and folk traditions. Flemish Expressionists like Spilliaert were more influenced by Ensor and Symbolism, or like Wouters were closer to the vibrant colours used by the
Fauvists Fauvism /ˈfoʊvɪzm̩/ is the style of ''les Fauves'' ( French for "the wild beasts"), a group of early 20th-century modern artists whose works emphasized painterly qualities and strong colour over the representational or realistic values ret ...
. The main proponents were Gust De Smet, Constant Permeke and
Frits Van den Berghe Frits Van den Berghe (3 April 1883 – 23 September 1939) was a Belgian expressionist and surrealist painter and illustrator. Biography He was born in Ghent, where his father was the Librarian at the University of Ghent.Albert Servaes Albert Servaes (4 April 1883 – 19 April 1966) was a Belgian expressionist painter. He was part of the first Latem school of painting which focused on Mystical Realism, but became a founder of Belgian expressionism later in life. He became k ...
, member of the first artist colony at Sint-Martens-Latem, who gradually moved from Symbolism to a new style from 1905 on. From 1911 on, his influence became visible in the work of Constant Permeke, who is usually considered the foremost master of the movement. It was centred around an
art colony An art colony, also known as an artists' colony, can be defined two ways. Its most liberal description refers to the organic congregation of artists in towns, villages and rural areas, often drawn by areas of natural beauty, the prior existence o ...
in Sint-Martens-Latem, an idyllic village on the banks of the river Lys in East Flanders, near Ghent. Permeke had studied art in Ghent, together with Gustave de Smet and Frits Van den Berghe. Before the First World War, emerging Belgian Expressionists such as
Frits Van den Berghe Frits Van den Berghe (3 April 1883 – 23 September 1939) was a Belgian expressionist and surrealist painter and illustrator. Biography He was born in Ghent, where his father was the Librarian at the University of Ghent.Fauvism Fauvism /ˈfoʊvɪzm̩/ is the style of ''les Fauves'' (French language, French for "the wild beasts"), a group of early 20th-century modern artists whose works emphasized painterly qualities and strong colour over the Representation (arts), repr ...
and to some extent by
Cubism Cubism is an early-20th-century avant-garde art movement that revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related movements in music, literature and architecture. In Cubist artwork, objects are analyzed, broken up and reassemble ...
, emulating the bright Impressionist approach of
Émile Claus Emile Claus (27 September 1849 – 14 June 1924) was a Belgian painter. Life Emile Claus was born on 27 September 1849, in Sint-Eloois-Vijve, a village in West Flanders (Belgium), at the banks of the river Lys. Emile was the twelfth child i ...
and Théo van Rysselberghe. Rik Wouters in particular was attracted by the Fauvists but he died in 1916 after suffering from a serious illness. During World War I, most painters from Sint-Martens-Latem fled Belgium: Gustaaf Van de Woestijne, Léon de Smet and others lived in London, where they continued working in a late Impressionistic style. Permeke also lived in England but already painted in a monumental, dark expressionism. Gustave De Smet and Frits Van den Berghe lived in the Netherlands, where in about 1916 they changed their style from a melancholy Impressionism to the new Expressionism, influenced by Dutch painters like
Jan Sluyters Johannes Carolus Bernardus (Jan) Sluijters, or Sluyters (17 December 1881 in 's-Hertogenbosch – 8 May 1957 in Amsterdam) was a Dutch painter and co-founder of the Moderne Kunstkring. Sluijters (in English often spelled "Sluyters") was a leading ...
, the German
Heinrich Campendonk Heinrich Mathias Ernst Campendonk (3 November 1889 – 9 May 1957) was a painter and graphic designer born in Germany who became a naturalized Dutch citizen. Life Campendonk was born in Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He was the ...
, and the French cubist
Henri Le Fauconnier Henri Victor Gabriel Le Fauconnier (July 5, 1881 – December 25, 1946) was a French Cubist painter born in Hesdin. Le Fauconnier was seen as one of the leading figures among the Montparnasse Cubists. At the 1911 Salon des Indépendants Le Fauco ...
who also lived in the Netherlands during the war. This version of Flemish Expressionism, influenced by constructivism, futurism and cubism, continued after the war in the short-lived art colony in Blaricum, where van den Berghe and De Smet joined Jozef Cantré. After the war, most artists went to live in and around Sint-Martens-Latem, establishing what has been called the second school of Latem. In the 1920s, while Permeke, De Smet and Van den Berghe painted in Ghent, at the European level it was Brussels which became closely associated with the evolving Flemish Expressionist scene. By 1930, Van den Berghe had been attracted by
Surrealism Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...
while
Realism Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to: In the arts *Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts Arts movements related to realism include: *Classical Realism *Literary realism, a move ...
had influenced the work of De Smet. On the other hand,
Edgard Tytgat Edgard Tytgat (Brussels, 28 April 1879 – Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, 11 January 1957) was a Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages ...
developed his Expressionist style rather later than the others. Concentrating on story telling, he presented a somewhat satirical view of mankind, especially in his paintings of men and women. Flemish Expressionism has been called "Belgium's most important contribution to modern art".


Artists

* James Ensor (1860-1949) (more a precursor and influence than a real member of the movement) * Hippolyte Daeye (1873-1952) * Gustave De Smet (1877-1943) *
Edgard Tytgat Edgard Tytgat (Brussels, 28 April 1879 – Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, 11 January 1957) was a Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages ...
(1879-1957) *
Prosper de Troyer {{wiktionary, prosper Prosper may refer to: __NOTOC__ Places in the United States * Prosper, Minnesota, an unincorporated community * Prosper, North Dakota, an unincorporated community * Prosper, Oregon, an unincorporated community * Prosper, Texa ...
(1880-1961) * Léon Spilliaert (1881-1946), mixed Symbolism and Expressionism in his art * Gustave Van de Woestijne (1881-1947) *
Léon De Smet Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again f ...
(1881-1966) * Rik Wouters (1882-1916) *
Frits Van den Berghe Frits Van den Berghe (3 April 1883 – 23 September 1939) was a Belgian expressionist and surrealist painter and illustrator. Biography He was born in Ghent, where his father was the Librarian at the University of Ghent.Albert Servaes Albert Servaes (4 April 1883 – 19 April 1966) was a Belgian expressionist painter. He was part of the first Latem school of painting which focused on Mystical Realism, but became a founder of Belgian expressionism later in life. He became k ...
(1883-1966) *
Jean Brusselmans Jean Brusselmans (1884-1953) was a Belgian painter. He developed his own style and, whereas he is often considered a representative of Flemish Expressionism, he refused to associate himself with any art movement. He was not very well known during h ...
(1884-1953) * Constant Permeke (1886-1952) *
Albert Saverys Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Albert C ...
(1886-1964) *
Oscar Jespers Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
(1887-1970) * Ramah (1887-1947) *
Floris Jespers Floris Jespers (18 March 1889 in Borgerhout – 16 April 1965 in Antwerp) was a Belgian Avant-garde painter. After his graduation from the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts, he hooked up with the poet Paul Van Ostaijen and joined the Antwerp avant-gar ...
(1889-1965) * Frans Masereel (1889-1972) * Jozef Cantré (1890-1957)


Gallery

File:Gustave Van de Woestyne (1881-1947) - Fuga - MSK Gent 17-03-2009 12-07-23.JPG, Gustave Van de Woestijne, ''Fuga'', 1925, Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent File:Leon Spilliaert (1924) - De handelsdokken te Oostende.jpg, Léon Spilliaert, The Docks of Ostend, 1924, now in the Mu.ZEE in Ostend File:Rik Wouters - Zittende vrouw bij het venster.JPG, Rik Wouters, ''Woman sitting at the window'', 1915, Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent File:Van Den Berghe - Sitting Pink Nude.jpg, ''Sitting Pink Nude'' by Frits Van den Berghe, 1928, Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent File:Ramah (1887-1947) De schilder (1922) MSK Gent 22-10-2017 11-33-11.JPG, Ramah, ''The Painter'', 1922, Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent


Notes

{{reflist Expressionism Belgian art movements Flemish art