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Modest Huys (25 October 1874, in Zulte – 30 January 1932, in Zulte) was a Flemish impressionist and luminist painter, who is regarded as one of the greatest Belgian painters of the 20th century.
From a young age, he worked in his father's painting and decorating businessGalerie Oscar De Vos: Biography of Huys
/ref> and later studied at the "Gentse Nijverheidschool" (Ghent Industrial School). In 1891 or 1892, he came into contact with Emile Claus, who encouraged his artistic inclinations. In 1900, he enrolled at the
/ref> It was about this time that he became lifelong friends with the author Stijn Streuvels. In 1909, he married and settled near Waregem.
In 1902, he debuted at the Sint-Lucasgilde in Kortrijk and began to exhibit more widely. He spent time in
ArtNet: More paintings by Huys
{{DEFAULTSORT:Huys, Modest 1874 births 1932 deaths Impressionism 20th-century Belgian painters People from Zulte
Modest Huys (25 October 1874, in Zulte – 30 January 1932, in Zulte) was a Flemish impressionist and luminist painter, who is regarded as one of the greatest Belgian painters of the 20th century.
Personal life
From a young age, he worked in his father's painting and decorating businessGalerie Oscar De Vos: Biography of Huys/ref> and later studied at the "Gentse Nijverheidschool" (Ghent Industrial School). In 1891 or 1892, he came into contact with Emile Claus, who encouraged his artistic inclinations. In 1900, he enrolled at the
Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Antwerp)
The Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp ( nl, Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten van Antwerpen) is an art academy located in Antwerp, Belgium. It is one of the oldest of its kind in Europe. It was founded in 1663 by David Teniers the Younger, ...
, where his teachers were Eugène Joors
Eugène Joors (20 February 1850, Borgerhout - 23 October 1910, Berchem), was a Belgian painter in the realistic style.
Life and work
He studied from 1865 to 1870 at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Antwerp, where his teacher were Polydore B ...
and Frans Van Leemputten
Frans Van Leemputten or Frans van Leemputten (29 December 1850 – 26 November 1914) was a Belgian Realist painter who specialized in landscape paintings of the Campine and Brabantine regions in Belgium as well as scenes with villagers and anim ...
(1850-1914), but he never completed his studies.Olsene website: Biography with photograph/ref> It was about this time that he became lifelong friends with the author Stijn Streuvels. In 1909, he married and settled near Waregem.
Career
In 1902, he debuted at the Sint-Lucasgilde in Kortrijk and began to exhibit more widely. He spent time in Meetjesland
The Meetjesland is a historical region in the north-west of the province East Flanders in Belgium.
Etymology
There are many legends surrounding the origin of the name. The most known is the one of Emperor Charles V (Charles V) who was known for hi ...
, painting landscapes. From 1905, he participated in the exhibitions of ''Vie et Lumière'', a luminist group, along with Claus, James Ensor and Jenny Montigny
Jeanne (Jenny) Montigny (8 December 1875, Ghent – 31 October 1937, Deurle) was a Belgian painter.
Life
Montigny's father was a lawyer and government official who oversaw several boards and commissions and was later Dean of the law faculty at ...
.
At the outbreak of World War I, he fled to the Netherlands, although he returned in 1915 and moved about as the war dictated. His home and studio were destroyed in 1918 and he ended up living with a forester near Brakel
Brakel () is a municipality in the Belgian province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek and the Flemish Ardennes. The name is derived from a Carolingian villa ''Braglo'' first mentioned in 866 and located in the center of Opbrakel. Since 1970, t ...
. After the armistice, he painted scenes of the devastation at the front
Front may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film
* ''The Front'', 1976 film
Music
* The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and e ...
, then settled in Wakken the following year.
He again began to exhibit extensively, including shows at the Paris Salon
Salon may refer to:
Common meanings
* Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments
* French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home
* Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment
Arts and entertainment
* Salon (P ...
and the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. During this period, his colors became darker and the contrasts harsher, approaching expressionism
Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...
. In 1926, he built his ideal home-studio, the "Zonnehuys" (Sun House), in Zulte. Several taverns in the area claim to have fresco
Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...
es that he painted. A square in Olsene (a district of Zulte) was named after him in 1999.
References
Further reading
* Willem G. Flippo, ''Lexicon of the Belgian Romantic Painters'', Antwerp, International Art Press, 1981 * Serge Goyens de Heusch, ''L’impressionisme et le fauvisme en Belgique'', Antwerp, Fonds Mercator, 1988 * Johan De Smet, ''Het luminisme voorbij. De jaren twintig in het oeuvre van Modest Huys'', in: Bulletin of theKoninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België
The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (french: Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, nl, Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België) are a group of art museums in Brussels, Belgium. They include six museums: the Oldmasters Muse ...
, 1-4, 1994-1995
* Johan De Smet and Veerle van Doorne, ''Modest Huys 1874-1932'', exhibition catalog, Museum van Deinze en de Leiestreek, Deinze, 10-5-12 1999
* Paul Piron, ''De Belgische beeldende kunstenaars uit de 19de en 20ste eeuw'', Brussels, Art in Belgium, 1999, 2 vols.
External links
ArtNet: More paintings by Huys
{{DEFAULTSORT:Huys, Modest 1874 births 1932 deaths Impressionism 20th-century Belgian painters People from Zulte