Frits Van den Berghe facts for kids

Frits Van den Berghe (born April 3, 1883 – died September 23, 1939) was a talented Belgian artist. He was known for his unique painting styles, especially Expressionism and Surrealism. He also worked as an illustrator.

Life and Art

Portrait of Stella van de Wiele (1915)

Frits Van den Berghe was born in Ghent, Belgium. His father worked as a librarian at the University of Ghent. Frits studied art at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts from 1898 to 1904. His teacher there was Jean Delvin.

In 1904, a fellow painter named Alfons Dessenis suggested he visit an art colony. This colony was in a place called Sint-Martens-Latem. There, Frits met other artists like Albert Servaes, Gustave De Smet, and Constant Permeke. These artists, including Frits, started a group known as the Latem School. They focused on a style of art called Expressionism.

In 1907, Frits got married. Soon after, he became a professor at the Ghent Academy. A few years later, his personal life changed when he met actress Stella van de Wiele. In 1914, he left his teaching job and spent six months in the United States.

During World War I, Frits Van den Berghe became a refugee in the Netherlands. He, Stella, and Gustave De Smet visited art communities there. They went to places like Amsterdam, Blaricum, and Laren. Frits even taught art for a short time. His artwork also grew and was influenced by Freudian psychoanalysis.

After the war, in 1922, Frits returned to Belgium. He lived with De Smet and Permeke in Ostend. Later, Frits and De Smet traveled around western Flanders. They were looking for new ideas for their art. They eventually settled in Afsnee in a house provided by their friend, Paul-Gustave van Hecke.

Frits Van den Berghe later spent some time in Brussels. However, the Great Depression made it hard to sell modern art. So, he went back to Ghent. He started working as an illustrator for a Socialist newspaper called Vooruit (which means "Forward"). He worked there until he passed away.

From 1937 to 1938, he drew pictures for a comic strip. The stories for this comic strip were written by Jean Ray. In his later years, Frits painted in a surrealistic style. His paintings often showed dream-like scenes and strange visions. He died in Ghent on September 23, 1939.

His art has been shown in big exhibitions. These include shows in Brussels (1962) and Utrecht (1984). In 1999, an exhibition in Ostend showed his illustrations for the first time. His painting, "Zondag" (Sunday), was even featured in a German TV series. It also appeared on a Belgian postage stamp in 2001.

Selected Paintings

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  Maleperduis
  (his home in Blaricum)

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  Corridors

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  Sunday

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  Eternal Wanderer (Vagabond)

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  Tree in Bloom, Frits Van den Berghe, (1930), Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp