Smolders Paul

Paul Smolders was a Belgian artist, born in Oostmalle in 1921 and died in Berchem/Antwerp in 1997. He was a painter and draftsman. As a child he was fascinated by painting by watching F. Van Giel at work. He himself had a degree in Germanic philology. He received his artistic training at the Academy and at the National Higher Institute in Antwerp. He was a student of R. Van Cauwenberghe, J. Creytens, A. Van Dyck and Is. Summer. He realized compositions with children, figures and portraits. He found his main source of inspiration in the child, but his work also includes drawings that have the landscape and the beach as their subject. He used a fresh and unapologetic style with an optimistic and bright color palette. From the press: “P.S. observes the young child with a mild gaze while he is busy playing a game or a paint box, but he also records the image of young women seated on a terrace in the city', and 'In Paris, where he stayed for a while, he found he subjects who are waiting for 'something', people in a pastry shop or in a pub. Neatly dressed young ladies with modern hairstyles, silk flowers and colorful suits stare somewhat aimlessly into the void; they are waiting.” (M. Van Jol, 1963) Work by Paul Smolders was purchased by the State in 1960. He is mentioned in BAS I and Two centuries of signatures of Belgian artists. (Piron)