Influenced by every movement that shaped the art of the first half of the 20th century, Belgian artist Jean Brusselmans (1884 – 1953) builds his own distinctive oeuvre. A starring role in his work is given to the rolling countryside and village life of Brabant, Belgium. For the first time in a long while, this important artist will be given a full exhibition outside the borders of Belgium at the Gemeentemuseum. On display will be approximately forty paintings focusing on the 1930s and 1940s, including a number of undiscovered gems from private collections.
While his direct contemporaries, such as Rik Wouters, Constant Permeke, and Gustave De Smet, gained fame as leaders of the new avant-garde in Belgian painting after the First World War, Brusselmans remained under the radar. His stubbornness and his physical distance from the art world – he lived almost his entire life in the rural town of Dilbeek, west of Brussels – hindered his success. In the shadows – and in great poverty – Brusselmans developed his own style. It wasn’t until the 1940s that he gained tentative recognition, though his work remained relatively unknown to the general public.
www.ftn-books.com has several Brusselmans titles available.
