Théo van Rysselberghe: schilder van de zon

Abstract

Theo van Rysselberghe : painter of the sun' is an ode to one of the great masters of depicting light and colour. Van Rysselberghe (1862-1926) is regarded as the Belgian leader of pointillism, with which he inspired Dutch artists such as Jan Toorop. Coming from the tradition of realism, Van Rysselberghe explored different styles at the start of his career, inspired by Frans Hals and Édouard Manet, among others. While traveling through Morocco in 1897, he discovered the abundant sunlight and color that would forever characterize his work. At the end of the eighties of the nineteenth century, Van Rysselberghe started painting pointillistically, in which he placed small strokes of unmixed paint next to each other. The book outlines Van Rysselberghe's development through his favorite themes: portraits, nudes in interiors and outdoors, sun-drenched landscapes and sunsets from Flanders to Morocco, seascapes, aquariums and flowers. His oeuvre is an ode to the beauty of life and to painting itself.