Artist : Gustave Den Duyts (1850-1897)
Title : Vue Du Canal De Gand-Terneuzen
Medium : Oil on canvas
Type of work : Painting signed lower right by the artist and dated
Dimensions : 80 x 140 cm (106 x 166 cm with the frame, originally gilded the frame was painted white)
Condition : Good, the frame has some small shocks
Provenance : Her Royal Highness Princess Diane of France then private collection, the invoice engages the gallery's responsibility for the authenticity of the work.
Expert commentary : This view of the canal that connects Ghent to Terneuzen is a leading work by Belgian impressionist artist Gustave Den DUYTS. This canal, built between 1823 and 1827, allows ships from the North Sea to reach the port of Ghent without going through Antwerp. In this pre-industrial context at the end of the 19th century, the artist shows us with this realism peculiar to the Belgian impressionists the permanence and the beauty of the countryside. As usual, he demonstrated great technical and compositional mastery, but also great modernity for the time. Its nervous and vibrant touch as well as its joyful melancholy colors give the painting a very special light that shows the artist's Flemish origins. This work is complementary to another work "Panoramic view of the city of Ghent" (1881) exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent (See the last photo). The artist depicts the canal leaving the city in an identical style and size. A fine example of Belgian luminism, a term that can be understood as the fusion of French Impressionism and post-Impressionism on the one hand, and the realist tradition specific to Belgian art on the other.
Artist's biography: Gustave Den DUYTS was born in Ghent on October 22, 1850. His grandfather was curator of collections at Ghent University and his father an excellent lithographer. So it's not inconceivable that he received his father's first drawing lessons. He then studied at the Gent Nijverheidsschool although his family tried to discourage him from his vocation. In 1874, he presented two paintings at the Ghent Salon which he painted in his studio which he shared with Jean Delvin. Considered one of the important Belgian innovators, the Belgian state and museums bought his works in these triumphant 80s for the artist. Died very young, he produced little and was much loved by Belgian post-impressionist artists who all had works by Den DUYTS in their collection. Among them we can cite: Emile Claus, Albert Baertsoen, Anna de Weert and Georges Buysse.
This biography was developed by us following our expertise and the various reference books on the artist in our possession, any copying is therefore prohibited.