Scheldt painters: 19th & 20th century

The Scheldt has been a source of inspiration for many painters throughout the centuries. Not only the river itself, but also life on and around the water and in the port of Antwerp has been depicted countless times. After the closure of the Scheldt in 1648, such scenes disappear for a while. From the beginning of the 19th century, parallel to the major infrastructure works such as the digging of the Bonaparte and Willem docks, the straightening of the Scheldt quays and the filling in of the old canals, a real revival occurs. Artists such as Rik Schaefels and Egide Linnig still adhere to romanticism, but their place is soon taken by painters such as Robert Mols and Henri and Maurice Seghers who strive for a lifelike and precise representation. Kurt Peiser, Emiel Gastemans, Eugeen Van Mieghem and Jos Mous show interest in the dock worker, the seamstresses and in the popular life in the port district. For Scheldt painters. 19th & 20th century author Gerald Verbeeck selected 55 painters who depicted both picturesque and life-like aspects of the Scheldt and its harbour. Since 1952 no book has been published that has depicted the Scheldt painters in such a compelling way.