Lieven Herremans

LIEVEN HERREMANS (Bruges, 1858-1921).
Untitled.
Oil on canvas.
Presents label on the back.
Measurements: 75,5 x 51 cm; 95 x 71 cm (frame).
The work of Lieven Herremans places us in the seclusion of an urban courtyard of Italian inspiration, where the architecture becomes the silent protagonist of the scene. The space is cloistered by stone and brick walls, softened by the patina of time, with galleries and arches that evoke both the medieval past and the continuity of everyday life. It is the architecture itself that breathes, in the suspended stillness of an instant.
What is most striking is the atmospheric treatment. The powdered finish, almost like a veil of haze covering the surface, attenuates the hallmarks and gives the scene an air of serene antiquity. Herremans' palette tends toward ochers, grays and earthy tones.
Lievin Herremans was a Belgian painter, known for his landscapes, cityscapes and post-impressionist vessels and as a painter of figures and nudes, often with a symbolist tendency. He trained at the Academies of Bruges and Antwerp (1885-1886, with Karel Verlat, among others), but already made his debut in Bruges around 1880. He continued to improve his skills in Paris and Italy. Later he also painted frequently in Zeeland and Brabant. In 1892, he became a member of the Schaerbeek Fine Arts Commission, together with the sculptor Léon Mignon and the painters Joseph Coosemans, Jan Verhas, Isid699ore Verheyden and Alfred Verwee, with the aim of "acquiring works by artists residing in the municipality". In 1911 he exhibited, together with Marcette, at the Cercle Artistique et Littéraire (Brussels). Most of his works are still in private hands and are regularly auctioned, but the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp also owns works by him.