Sarteel Léon

Léon Sarteel was a Belgian artist who was born in Ghent in 1882 and who died there in 1942. He was primarily a sculptor. Took evening courses at Sint-Lucas in Ghent, until 1908 further training at the Academy in Ghent under the direction of J. Delvin and J. Van Biesbroeck. Laureate of the sixth annual prize for sculpture in 1908. He was mainly inspired by the human figure. In sober lines and strict, refined shapes in wood, stone, bronze or plaster, his works show his belief in the beauty of life and man. His works reflect silence and restrained tranquility. The image of the woman, the young girl and especially of the mother with her child are often recurring themes. The angular, decorative lines of Art Deco between the Two World Wars only touched him every now and then and he always managed to transform that straight line into a smooth and soft fold. His work has grown into the expression of his personality: simple and pure, sober and yet chunky. Work in the museums in Antwerp, Brussels, Ixelles, Sint-Niklaas, Deinze, Ghent, Tournai, La Louvière. Mentioned in CRICK and Two centuries of signatures of Belgian artists. Source: Piron