Wytsman Rodolphe

Rodolphe Paul Wytsman was a Belgian artist, born in Dendermonde in 1860 and died in Linkebeek in 1927. He was a painter, draftsman, etcher and lithographer. He was educated at the Academy in Ghent, under the supervision of J. Capeinick (1873-1875). There he befriended Th. van Rysselberghe. He continued his education at the Academy in Brussels, under the guidance of J. Portaels (1879-1881). He was a member of the Circle L'Essor. In 1882/1883 he traveled to Italy. After his return he stayed in Knokke, where Van Rysselberghe and G. Vogels also stayed. In 1883 he co-founded Les XX, but he resigned in 1886. In the same year he married Juliette Trullemans and settled in La Hulpe. There they became friends with C. Lemonnier. In 1892 he moved to Linkebeek. During the First World War he lived in the Netherlands. In the beginning he painted realistic landscapes in the line of his friend A. Verwee. Under the influence of G. Vogels, he became interested in the play of light and evolved via Impressionism to Luminism. He found his inspiration mainly in the Brabant landscape and the Maas valley. His drawings were mostly studies for his landscapes, but he also drew animals, flowers and figures. Together with his wife he made numerous trips through Europe. Work by Rodolphe Wytsman can be found in the museums in Brussels, Ixelles, Ghent, Liège and Antwerp. He is mentioned in BAS I and Two centuries of signatures of Belgian artists. (Piron)