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International Art Treasures Web Magazine March 2004 |
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Khnopff: Belgian Symbolist
Fernand Khnopff BiographyThe artist was born in Grembergen in 1858 to a magistrate father. After a brief time studying law he eventually enrolled at the Brussels Academy of Fine Arts where he studied drawing along with James Ensor. Influences on the artist included Belgian writers such as Mas Waller, Georges Rodenbach and Emile Verhaeren. His artists influences included the Pre-Raphaelites Hunt, Watts, Ford Maddox Brown and Brune-Jones. The artist excelled in oils, pastels, and mixed medium and was also a sculptor and engraver. He had an interest in photography and was known to photograph his works he would then draw on the photographs and sign them. His first exhibition in 1881 was at L'Essor Salon in Brussles. He was a co-founder of The Twenty (Les XX or Les Vingt) an exhibiting group of like-minded artists. Ensor was also a member of this artist union that exhibited together from 1884 to 1893. Originally formed by twenty, thus the name, the group also displayed art by non-Belgians such as Cézanne, van Gogh and Seurat. This group was considered to be the chief forum for Symbolism in Belgian art. Les Vingt dissolved in 1893. The following year another group La Libre Esthétique, including many members of Les Vingt, held their first joint exhibit and would continue to show together until 1914. Khnopff would eventually build an incredible villa that reflected his homage to Symbolist art. He drew the plans and was responsible for the interior. Unfortunately the house was destroyed shortly after the artist's death.
Retrospection ExhibitionAll aspects of the multi-talented artist will be on display from paintings, drawings, sculptures, retouched photographs, book illustrations and graphics. The collection numbers over 280 works of which 265 are by Fernand Khnopff. The other artwork is by Belgian and European artists including Ensor, Delville, Moreau, Klimt, von Stuck, Brune-Jones and Rossetti. Certainly a highlight is the inclusion of the most famous of all of Fernand Khnopff's works Memories, 1889.
Khnopff stands apart from his contemporaries for applying his use of symbols in portraiture. In his day he was very popular among Belgian Society and painted 34 portraits.
The exhibition structure begins with the artist's life, next the "Khnopffian" woman and moves on to landscapes primarily of Fosset and Bruges.
As a child Khnopff often summered in Fosset and the location became a favorite subject of his and was reflected in many of his works. Some of the landscapes are presented with emphasis on their symbolist meaning.
After the landscapes the exhibition continues with portraits and a documentary room. Visitors should be prepared for a long sojourn into the sixth exhibition room. It is divided into four themes each built around a key piece such as the triptych L'isolement. The Symbolist movement of art and literature was not limited to France and her creative artists. Belgium too has a magnificent history of bringing the then influences on literature into their art world and this is an excellent opportunity to view one of the masters of this genre. |
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