Have you heard of Rik Wouters?

He is Belgium’s best-known Fauvist, renowned for the stunning colours in his paintings. His works has often been compared with Ensor, Cézanne and even Renoir. He became quickly appreciated by his contemporaries – as you will see below he had a dazzling talent.

But his career was stopped by his death at the age of 33 in 1916.

Here he is – Rik Wouters and his wide range of paintings, drawings and sculptures.

Wouters had a chronic eye disease which led to his death at a young age. His life was difficult. Yet the harmonious ‘good life’ takes centre stage in his work. His love for his wife Nel was a motivating force in his work and she inspired him to create many well-known paintings and sculptures. His expressive brush strokes and the unfinished style of his canvases give a dynamic to his work that, combined with the emphasis on lighting and colour, result in an enchanting and optimistic quality.

The art of Rik Wouters is above all an abundance of colors and authentic, simple, touching subjects. Through his visual language, the construction of his subjects and the luminous richness of his palette. Look at this red color!

Wouters focused on painting and studies of light. He chose to depict interiors and still-lives, painted with a knife (spatula) and showing an abundant use of colour laid down on cardboard. In 1911 Wouters changed his style, abandoning the use of the spatula and opting for the brush. In order to obtain a maximum of transparency the painter diluted his colours and used particularly absorbing canvases. It resulted in a reduced scale of warm tones and a diminished brilliancy of colours.

From March 10th until June 2nd in Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium you can see the Retrospective exhibition of Rik Wouters, organized in partnership with the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. This major exhibition closes the series of tributes linked to the centenary of the artist’s death.