Théo van Rysselberghe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Théo van Rysselberghe
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Self-portrait, 1916
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| Born | 23 November 1862 Ghent, Belgium
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| Died | 13 December 1926 (aged 64) Saint-Clair, Var, France
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| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | Neo-impressionism |
Théophile "Théo" van Rysselberghe (born November 23, 1862 – died December 13, 1926) was a famous Belgian painter. He was known for his Neo-impressionist style, which used tiny dots of color. Théo played a big part in the art world in Europe around the start of the 20th century.
Contents
About Théo van Rysselberghe
Early Life and Art Training
Théo van Rysselberghe was born in Ghent, Belgium. His family spoke French and was well-off. He started studying art at the Academy of Ghent. Later, in 1879, he went to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels. His teacher, Jean-François Portaels, painted many scenes from North Africa. This style, called "orientalism," greatly influenced young Théo.
When he was only 18, Théo showed his paintings at an art show in Ghent. He painted a Self-portrait with pipe in 1880, using dark colors. But soon, he started trying new styles, moving towards Impressionism. In 1881, he showed his art for the first time at a big show in Brussels.
Travels to Morocco
In 1882, Théo traveled to Spain and Morocco with his friend Frantz Charlet. He loved the old paintings in Spain's Museo del Prado. In Morocco, he stayed in Tanger for four months. He drew and painted everyday scenes from the streets, the kasbah (a fortress), and the souk (a market). Some of his famous paintings from this trip include Arabian street cobbler and The kief smokers.
When he returned to Belgium, he showed about 30 of his Moroccan artworks. They were a huge success! Around this time, he also became friends with the writer Emile Verhaeren. Théo later painted many portraits of him.
In 1883, Théo visited Haarlem in the Netherlands. He wanted to study how the Dutch painter Frans Hals used light in his paintings. Théo became very interested in showing light accurately in his own art.
Founding Les XX
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Théo van Rysselberghe was a key person in starting a Belgian art group called Les XX (The Twenty) in 1883. This group was made up of young, bold artists. They wanted to break away from the old, traditional art rules. Famous artists like James Ensor and Paul Signac were also members. Being part of Les XX helped Théo meet other modern artists, like James Abbott McNeill Whistler.
In 1883, Théo went back to Tanger, Morocco, for a year. He kept in touch with the secretary of Les XX, Octave Maus. Théo encouraged Maus to invite new artists to their exhibitions. During this trip, Théo painted Arabian phantasia. This large, colorful painting showed the bright, hot light of the Moroccan sun. From then on, Théo was fascinated by how to paint light.
Exploring Impressionism
In 1886, Théo saw paintings by Impressionist artists like Monet and Auguste Renoir at a Les XX show. He was very impressed. Impressionism uses bright colors and loose brushstrokes to capture a moment. Théo started trying this style, as seen in his painting Woman with Japanese album (1886). His paintings Madame Picard in her Loge and Madame Oscar Ghysbrecht also show this new, bright style.
Because Théo had many connections in the art world of Paris, France, Les XX sent him there. His job was to find new and exciting artists for their upcoming shows.
Discovering Pointillism
While in Paris in 1886, Théo saw Georges Seurat's famous painting La Grande Jatte. This was his first look at a new technique called pointillism. Pointillism uses tiny, distinct dots of pure color. These dots blend in the viewer's eye to create an image.
Théo loved this style and helped bring it to Belgium. Seurat was even invited to show his work at Les XX in 1887. Théo quickly became a big fan of pointillism. He started using this style in his own paintings, like Madame Oscar Ghysbrecht (1887).
In December 1887, Théo went on his third trip to Morocco. He made many colorful sketches. When he returned to Brussels, he painted his memories using his photos and sketches. His Nomad encampment (1887) is thought to be his first true Neo-impressionist (pointillist) work. He also painted Gate of Mansour-El-Hay in Meknès and Morocco (the great souk) in this dot-like style. These are some of the few pointillist paintings of Morocco.
After this, he focused on painting portraits using pointillism.
Pointillist Portraits and Landscapes
One of his most famous pointillist works is the portrait of Alice Sèthe (1888). He used only dots in this painting. Alice's sister, Maria Sèthe, also modeled for Théo. Maria later married the famous architect Henry Van de Velde. Théo married Marie Monnom in 1889. He painted many Neo-impressionist portraits, including one of his wife Maria and their daughter Elisabeth.
He also painted many landscapes and seascapes in this style, such as "Dunes in Cadzand" (1893) and "The rainbow" (1894).
In 1895, Théo traveled a lot to places like Athens, Constantinople, Moscow, and Saint Petersburg. He was making posters for a travel company. One well-known poster is "Royal Palace Hotel, Ostende" (1899).
Around the late 1890s, Théo van Rysselberghe was at the peak of his pointillist technique. But slowly, he started using wider brushstrokes instead of just dots. Examples include The hippodrome at Boulogne-sur-Mer (1900) and The Reading (1903).
Interestingly, Théo once made a mistake in judging art. He didn't see the talent in a young artist named Pablo Picasso. Théo thought Picasso's early works were "ugly and uninteresting."
Later Years and New Styles
After 1903, Théo's pointillist style became more relaxed. By 1910, he stopped using dots completely. His brushstrokes became longer, and he used brighter colors and stronger contrasts. He became very skilled at showing light and warmth in his paintings. His Olive trees near Nice (1905) reminds some people of Vincent van Gogh's style.
Théo moved to the Côte d'Azur in France in 1911. His brother, Octave van Rysselberghe, who was an architect, built him a house there. Théo continued to paint landscapes of the Mediterranean coast and portraits of his family. He also painted large murals and flower compositions for a family in France.
In his later years, he also created sculptures, like the Head of André Gide.
Théo van Rysselberghe passed away in Saint-Clair, France, on December 14, 1926. He was buried next to his friend, the painter Henri-Edmond Cross.
Many of Théo van Rysselberghe's paintings are still owned by private collectors. This means they are not often seen by the public. However, there was a special show of his work in Brussels and The Hague in 2006. In 2005, one of his paintings, Port Cette (1892), sold for a record 2.6 million Euros at an auction in New York.
Family Life
Théo van Rysselberghe married Marie Monnom in 1889. They had a daughter named Elizabeth. Théo's brother, Octave van Rysselberghe (1855–1929), was a well-known Belgian architect.
Awards
- 1919: Commander of the Order of Leopold.
See also
In Spanish: Théo van Rysselberghe para niños
