Rodolphe Wytsman
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Rodolphe Paul Marie Wytsman (11 March 1860 – 2 November 1927) was a Belgian Impressionist painter.
He trained at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, he was one of the founding members of Les XX.
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Life
Origin
Rodolphe Wytsman was born in Dendermonde. He was the son of Klemens Wytsman (Dendermonde, 1825–1870), a man of Austrian origin who was notary and ships in his hometown, and Emma-Maria Cockuyt (Ghent, c. 1838). In 1886 Wytsman married Juliëtte Trullemans (Juliëtte Wytsman) (Brussels, 1866–Elsene, 1925), also a painter. They lived successively in the 1922 Education Street (c. 1881), Van Dyck Street, 1914 (1884), Neuchâtelstraat, 1917 (1885), Priëelstraat, 6 (1888) and later in the Keyenveldstraat 26, 1939, in Brussels.
Early life
He grew up in a cultured environment: his father was – apart from the care of his notary – a meritorious numismatist, historian, composer and urbanist. Among his friends were the Flemish composers François Auguste Gevaert, Peter Benoit, but also the French literary figure, Victor Hugo. Wytsman's father died prematurely in 1870, when Rodolphe only 9 to 10 years old. Wytsman's mother shortly thereafter moved to Dendermonde, Ghent, her hometown.
In 1873 Rodolphe Wytsman took courses at the Academy in Ghent from Jean Capeinick (1838–1890), a painter who specialized in still lifes and rich, colorful floral arrangements. Capeinick, a true professional, was the teacher who had accompanied young Theo Van Rysselberghe. Wytsman's studies were interrupted by a lucrative job in a yarn shop. After three years, and against the wishes of his mother, he stopped with his oppressive occupation, and resumed his studies at the Academy. His teachers were then Théodore-Joseph Canneel and Julius De Keghel. Wytsman became friends with Theo Van Rysselberghe, Gustave Vanaise and Armand Heins. With the latter he became a friend for life. As a painter Wytsman opted for the landscape. His early works – this time from the Ghent – were realistic. In the following years he developed gradually into a still more conventional pre-impressionist style. But Wytsman already lived in Brussels, where the pulse of modernist painting was the best feeling.
Brussels
Wytsman's mother settled with her family in Brussels, where Rodolphe in the same year continued his studies at the Academy. He studied with Jean Portaels, Joseph Stallaert and Joseph Van Severendonck. Among his fellow students included Eugene Broerman in Brussels, Francois Halkett, Frantz Charlet and again Theo Van Rysselberghe. Also James Ensor and Guillaume Van Strydonck studied at that time. At the Brussels Academy, he came into contact with the artists group "L'Essor". "L'Essor" was founded on 4 March 1876 by some students of the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, namely L. Cambier, Julien Dillen, Leon Herbo, Henri Permeke, L. Pion, F. Seghers and François Taelemans. Vela others joined Albert Baertsoen, Frantz Charlet, Jean Degreef, Henry De Groux, Jacques Lalang, Jean Delville, James Ensor, Leon Frederic, Frank Leemputten and others. Even before his academy training in 1881, finally closing said Rodolphe Wytsman already exhibited in the Salon of Ghent in 1880 with "The night".
Italian travel
Financially supported by a friend of his late father, he went in 1882, on an Italian-journey, to Rome and surrounding areas, but the Neapolitan coast, made an unforgettable impression on him. Works dating from that era such as "Fountain in the Villa Borghese in Roma" and "Rocks on Capri". In Italy, he had friendly contacts with other Belgian artists who lived there then: Gustave Vanaise, Jef Lambeaux, Leon Philippet, Eugene Broerman, Alexandre Marcet. In May 1883, Rodolphe Wytsman was back in Belgium; together with Vanaise he exhibited in that year still in the "Cercle Artistique in Ghent. From 1883 on he was to be found annually in Knokke. As developed in the summer, a small but important artists colony where many advanced landscape painters from Ghent and Brussels came down, such as Alfred Verwee, Willy Schlobach, Paul Parmentier, Theo Van Rysselberghe, Omer Coppens, Anna Boch, Félicien Rops, also James Ensor, Willy Finch and Camille Pissarro even came along. Wytsman painted the dunes, the beach, the polders, the Zwin.
Les XX
In 1883, Wytsman was a founding member of "Les XX", the famous avant-garde group in Brussels, inspired by the figure of Octave Maus, and founded by Frantz Charlet, Jean Delvin, Dario Regoyos, Paul Dubois, James Ensor, Willy Finch, Charles Goethals, Fernand Khnopff, Pericles Pantazis, Frans Simons, and Théodore Verstraete. Until 1887, Wytsman sent to work in the annual Salons of Les XX.
The following year, he and Isidore Verheyden resigned from that group and would not exhibit, even if "invited". He resigned without a clear reason , and apparently without hassles, what else is more came binnen "Les XX". In his resignation letter he wrote:... J'espère que tout en n'etant Vingiste plus, nous conserverons nos bons rapports et le plaisir que j'aurai the vous recevoir souvent à l'atelier ...
In the Salons of Les XX "Wytsman was present with the following titles:
- 1884: "La Ferme du Moulin (Flandre)," "Les Fleurs (West-Flandre)" & "La mare (the dunes Knocke)
- 1885: "Le Moulin de Knocke," "La Neige", "A Melle. Fin d'automne", "A Boitsfort" & "La Prairie '
- 1886: "La Neige", "Pavot et coquelicots. Crepuscule", "A Boitsfort", "Le Bois. Pluvieux Temps", "La mare. Ixelles", "Coin d'Etang. Soir", "Fin d'automne" and further: "Serie d'impressions" and "Pastel"
- 1887: "Automne," "Coin de jardin", "Fin Novembre", "Le Moulin à eau," Le canal de Delft. Soir "&" A Delft.
His address in 1883 and 1884 declaration stated explicitly "Knocke par Westkapelle" next to the address in Brussels Rue Van Dyck, 1914 (1884) and in the Neuchâtelstraat, 1917 (1885). In 1886 (the year of his marriage) and 1887, Knokke was not mentioned, but Brussels was once again changed to address the Priëeelstraat, 6 (1926) in the Leopold District. This address was certainly the same in 1900.
Juliëtte
It was in the studio of Jean Capeinick that Juliëtte Trullemans and Rodolphe Wytsman met for the first time. And soon in the summer painting with Knokke Mecca, they saw each other regularly again. On 16 February 1886, Rodolphe Wytsman married Juliette Trullemans. It was an ideal commitment: both painted sunlit landscapes, and tableaux with plants and shrubs that were very popular. The two artists' careers actually fused into one harmonious whole. The proceeds from their art than she allowed to live and many trips to take. Their many European trips were relatively few traces of their oeuvre.
At first the couple lived in Leopold district, on Priëeelstraat, but moved shortly after 1900 to Keyenveldstraat, 39. They also had a country house in La Hulpe, southeast of Brussels, on the other side of the Soignes. They had intense friendly contacts including the writer and art critic Camille Lemonnier, the sculptor and painter Charles Verstappen, and Emile Claus. In 1892, they acquired an estate called Les Tournesols "in the Brussels suburb of Linkebeek. Around their house was a large flower garden in the midst of a largely untouched landscape. The park and surrounding both inspiration to many canvases.
As locations for their landscapes was Knokke besides of course the Brabant landscape Hulpe, Genval, the Park Farm ..., but also the river and its surroundings: Dave, Profondeville, Yvoir, Houx, Bouvignes .. Wytsman are the preferred sites. Bruges also occurs and the far Tenerife (in work from 1914). Rodolphe and Juliette Wytsman both had a strong preference for landscape designs: landscapes certainly, but also paintings focusing on striking flowers, herbs or plants that they in the foreground of their paintings places, usually with a vista of the surrounding landscape: ponds, marshes, flowering trees, flower beds flower growers, blooming heaths with gorse, fallow land overgrown with weeds, overgrown gardens, flowers, roses and lilacs, poppies, sword lilies, foxglove, liverwort, chestnut herb, ...
La Libre Esthetique
Years later we find Wytsman back at the exhibitors' "La Libre Esthétique", a group of artists who joined after the dissolution of "Les XX" in 1893.
Exhibitions
Besides his participation in the Triennial Salons of Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent, the smaller salons in smaller cities and - just Rodolphe - at the Salons of "Les XX", he organized some double exhibition with his wife, namely in 1888 and 1893 in Brussels, the "Cercle Artistique". Rodolphe Wytsman Ostend first exhibited in the Salon, decorated in 1894, at the initiative of including James Ensor. He revealed: "Apple trees in bloom" and "The village road".
Both exhibited in the Belgian section of Fine Arts at the 1900 Exposition Universelle International in Paris and the 1908 Belgischer Art Exhibition in Berlin (with "The Beek"). The exhibition of Belgian artists in the room Zacheta in Warsaw in 1907, an exhibition that was initiated by the Polish industrial Wellisch Leopold (1882–1972) and the handful of artists, including Juliette and Rodolphe Wytsman participated. Rodolphe Wytsman exhibited regularly pastels. So in 1903, he sent four to the "Exhibition of watercolor paintings, pastels, etchings and other" in Antwerp, "The heap", "The Nut", "The road to the moors" and "Evening in Brabant - October.
The First World War
When World War I broke out in August 1914 was a true mass exodus in Belgium to France, England, Netherlands, America, and – for a tiny minority – to Switzerland. The family Wytsman weeks to Rotterdam. Other artists who had escaped to the Netherlands and stayed there for other reasons have included Gust De Smet, Fritz Van den Berghe, Wouters, Isidore Opsomer, Walter Vaes, Joseph Cantré, William Degouve the Nuncques, Frans Smeers, Jules Schmalzgaug, William Paerels, George Tong and Edith van Leckwyck. Both artists set up an exhibition in Rotterdam's art circle in favor of Belgian artists. Discreetly they supported needy colleagues, including probably Rik Wouters. She has painted landscapes in the vicinity of Overschie, Shed, Oosterwijck, Plasmolen, Kralingen Delfshaven and Mook. When Rik Wouters in 1916 died in terrible conditions in Amsterdam and was buried, was Rodolphe Wytsman who pronounced the eulogy. In November 1916 the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam gave an exhibition of Belgian art. Rodolphe Wytsman was in the organizing committee along with Isidore Opsomer and Maurice Guilbert addition to the Amsterdam museum curator Beard. With the exception of Gust De Smet and Rik Wouters was young - innovative - generation completely ignored in this exhibition - which they have not thanked for.
Return to Linkebeek
After the war Wytsman and his wife returned to their beloved Linkebeek, but the last stage of their life went quietly, without any significant extra-artistic events, some on the edge of the innovative art trends that more and more ascendant, and for which they not have been more open. In 1925 they prepared together for a double retrospective, their last major event in a totally changed world of art. Juliette Wytsman-Trullemans died at home in the Keyenveldstraat in Ixelles on 8 March 1925. Rodolphe survived her by two years; he died in Linkebeek on 2 November 1927.
Rodolphe Wytsman was also one of the private teachers of Maria von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Countess of Flanders, who was an excellent graphic artist. He worked several times with the architect Georges Hobé for decorative paintings in Hobe had designed ensembles (Turin, 1902, Milan, 1906).
Style
Juliette and Rodolphe Wytsman's debut in both a realistic pre-impressionist style with accents. Influenced by the artistic scene of their time, they just by the exhibitions in Brussels and also by their contacts with like-minded artists well knew, they were both driven to a great interest in the pictorial representation of the action of intense light In their paintings, the interaction of light, shapes and colors. Both are among the main representatives of the Luminist tendency in neo-impressionism in Belgian painting. They share the place with artists like Emille Claus and his students Jenny Montigny and Anna De Weert, Adrien-Joseph Heymans, George and Georges Morren Buysse.
Trivia
The Museum of Ixelles holds his portrait in oil by Jehan Frison, and the painting "The tea hour" by Herman Richir in fact a double portrait of Rodolphe Wytsman and his wife Juliet.
Museums and public collections
- Amsterdam,
- Antwerp
- Barcelona
- Buenos Aires
- Brussels, Camille Lemonnier Museum
- Dendermonde
- Ixelles (Brussels), Musée d'Ixelles (large ensemble, including sketchbooks)
- Gent
- Huy
- Knokke
- Liege
- 0ostende, Mu.ZEE
- Sabadell
- Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (Brussels)
- Tienen
- Tokyo
- Uccle (Brussels)
- Verviers
- Collection of the Region Wallonne (The Meuse to Wépion)
