Fernand Verhaegen
Encyclopedia
Fernand Verhaegen was a Belgian
painter
and etcher
.
He was born in Marchienne-au-Pont
, near Charleroi
in Wallonia. He took courses at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts
from 1900 to 1906 and there became friends with Rik Wouters
and Edgard Tytgat. After graduation he exhibited his works in Belgium and abroad (Biennale of Venice in 1920 and 1922). His style gradually evolved from impressionism
and Belgian luminism
to a synthetic form of capturing reality. In his later years, he came back to a personal form of impressionism.
Verhaegen specialized in painting Walloon
folklore: Carnival of Binche (he was soon recognised as the painter of "the Gilles of Binche"), Doudou of Mons, Giants of Ath, Chinelles of Fosses, Chaudia of Leernes, Pasqueye, and so on. He also created a series of etchings devoted to the folklore in Wallonia. In his book about this artist, Robert Magremanne has named him "the great master of the Walloon folklore". He died in Montigny-le-Tilleul
in 1975.
Verhaegen's works are in many museums of Belgium (Antwerp, Brussels
, Charleroi
, Ixelles, Liège, Mons
) and abroad (Genève, Grenoble
, Indianapolis
).
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and etcher
Etching
Etching is the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio in the metal...
.
He was born in Marchienne-au-Pont
Marchienne-au-Pont
Marchienne-au-Pont is a section of the Belgian town of Charleroi within the Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut. It was a commune of its own before the merge of the communes in 1977, when it had a population of 17,000.-Sights:...
, near Charleroi
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
in Wallonia. He took courses at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts
Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts
The Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels is an art school, founded in 1711.The faculty and alumni of ARBA include some of the most famous names in Belgian painting, sculpture, and architecture: James Ensor, Rene Magritte, and Paul Delvaux...
from 1900 to 1906 and there became friends with Rik Wouters
Rik Wouters
Hendrik Emil Wouters was a Belgian fauvist painter and sculptor. Wouters was educated at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.-External links:...
and Edgard Tytgat. After graduation he exhibited his works in Belgium and abroad (Biennale of Venice in 1920 and 1922). His style gradually evolved from impressionism
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
and Belgian luminism
Luminism (Impressionism)
Luminism is a late-impressionist or neo-impressionist style in painting which devotes great attention to light effects.The term has been used for the style of the Belgian painters such as Emile Claus and Théo van Rysselberghe and their followers , as well as for...
to a synthetic form of capturing reality. In his later years, he came back to a personal form of impressionism.
Verhaegen specialized in painting Walloon
Walloons
Walloons are a French-speaking people who live in Belgium, principally in Wallonia. Walloons are a distinctive community within Belgium, important historical and anthropological criteria bind Walloons to the French people. More generally, the term also refers to the inhabitants of the Walloon...
folklore: Carnival of Binche (he was soon recognised as the painter of "the Gilles of Binche"), Doudou of Mons, Giants of Ath, Chinelles of Fosses, Chaudia of Leernes, Pasqueye, and so on. He also created a series of etchings devoted to the folklore in Wallonia. In his book about this artist, Robert Magremanne has named him "the great master of the Walloon folklore". He died in Montigny-le-Tilleul
Montigny-le-Tilleul
Montigny-le-Tilleul is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Montigny-le-Tilleul had a total population of 10,205. The total area is 15.10 km² which gives a population density of 676 inhabitants per km².-Sights:...
in 1975.
Verhaegen's works are in many museums of Belgium (Antwerp, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Charleroi
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
, Ixelles, Liège, Mons
Mons
Mons is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality includes the old communes of Cuesmes, Flénu, Ghlin, Hyon, Nimy, Obourg, Baudour , Jemappes, Ciply, Harmignies, Harveng, Havré, Maisières, Mesvin, Nouvelles,...
) and abroad (Genève, Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
).