Théo van Rysselberghe
1862-1926 • Belgian
Belgian Neo-Impressionist artist Théo van Rysselberghe's rebellion of the constraining academic standards at the turn of the 20th century proved crucial to the history of European art. Today, van Rysselberghe’s works are in great demand, and are rarely seen outside of prestigious private collections.
Van Rysselberghe began his artistic studies at the Academy of Ghent, moving on to attend the Academy of Brussels in 1880 under the direction of Jean-Francois Portaels. His showings at the Salons of Ghent and Brussels were mainly showcases of his realist works, largely inspired by the Belgian tradition. His attention soon shifted to the works of the Impressionists, and he co-founded the pivotal Belgian artistic circle Les XX, which rebelled against what they felt to be “outdated” academic standards. After attending the eighth Impressionist Exhibition in 1886, however, van Rysselberghe became completely enamored with Neo-Impressionism, namely Pointillism. By 1910, van Rysselberghe abandoned Pointillism altogether, focusing the rest of his artistic career on landscapes and nudes.
