SMEERS, Frans

Author Bio

          This beautifully painted image of a canal scene in the town of Mechelen, Belgium can be counted amongst the artist’s best works. It can be dated to around 1895 and still retains its original frame.  Now primarily remembered as a painter of beach scenes, his work has become immensely sought after. Born in Brussels in 1873, it was there that he studied at the Academy under the direction of the great figurative painter Jean-Francois Portaels from 1884-1890 and later Jan Stallaert from 1892-1895. At the age of twenty, and whilst still a student, he had become a founder member of the influential group, ‘Le Sillon’ together with his contemporaries the sculptor Jef Lambeaux and the painter Alfred Bastien.  In 1895 he traveled to Paris with his friend Bastien, the party also including Maurice Wagemans and Maurice Blieck.  Returning to Belgium the following year he established a studio and became a professional painter.  His early work consisted of rather realistically painted figure subjects but by 1900 he had turned his attention to Impressionism. Light pastel images of children at play became the mainstay of his oeuvre and it was these that were extensively exhibited during the period 1920-1940. He held a number of important positions within the art world including that of Professor of Drawing at the Academy of Brussels and Full Member of the Belgian Academy.

          His paintings are widely held in public collections including the National Museum of Belgium and the museums of Ixelles and Brabant.

Lit;    E. Benezit

          P. Piron

          Arto