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Belgische kunstenaar Henri Joseph Thomas

Thomas Henri

Henri Joseph Thomas or Henri Thomas was a Belgian artist who was born in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean in 1878 and who died in Brussels in 1972. He was a painter, etcher, illustrator and sculptor. Education at the Academy in Brussels (1895-1898). Painter of the Belle Epoque. His oeuvre comes across as an ode to women. Painted portraits, female figures, anecdotal scenes with women, nudes, flowers. He usually placed his figures in opulent bourgeois parlors. His nudes usually come across as sensual, sometimes provocative, as femme fatale, but in other works also timid and civilized. Also painted bar scenes, girls of easy virtue behind their windows, cafe scenes, women at their toilet in front of the mirror. Rich green and warm red tonalities dominate his palette. From the press: "The interest of H.T. rather goes out to women in special circumstances, parties, brothels and the like, sometimes with mirror effects. There is something Ropsian in his work. His way of painting remains quite traditional. Perhaps he gave the best of himself in his graphic work (varnis-mou) and the many book illustrations he made.' (J. De Geest, 2001). Illustrated, among others, La toison de Phyrné (Théo Hannon), Du coeur aux lèvres (Lucien Solvay), Diaboliques (Barbey d'Aurevilly). Exhibited at the Salon of the Cercle Artistique de Bruxelles in 1905, 1909 and 1921. Work in the Museums in Brussels and Liège, among others. Mentioned in BAS I and Two centuries of signatures of Belgian artists. (piron)