Gaston Joseph Wallaert (1889-1954) - Marine

Large decorative painting. Oil on canvas in its original gilded wooden frame.
Dimensions : Frame 142x135 - Canvas 118x112

Gaston Joseph Wallaert was a Belgian painter and writer, born in Brussels on 7 December 1889 and died in Hasselt on 24 February 1954.

From an early age he felt drawn to become a painter. In 1906 he studied at the Brussels Academy of Fine Arts. At first he painted large compositions that were dramatically infused with romanticism (period up to 1919).
From 1919 he moved to Loksbergen (Halen) and found shelter with the priest-poet Cuppens. Later (1920) he established his studio in Hasselt and married there in that same year.
During the period 1920–1929, he painted several religious works and naval scenes.
With the support of the Ministry of Culture, he in 1923 undertook an eight-month journey through classical Italy. That journey marked a turning point in his art.
During his trip to Italy, he was impressed by the Italian masters (especially Angelico) in the cities of Rome, Florence, and Naples. He also produced canvases, drawings, and sketches there.

The next 10 years (1930-1940) he mainly painted landscapes, still lifes, seascapes and, to a lesser extent, religious subjects and figures. The landscape painter now reached his peak. He also devoted himself to painting flowers. Thus appeared in 1941 a booklet "Bloemen, Heide en Zee" by Rik Vanderhave.

During the Second World War, figure drawing—and especially the female nude—came to the fore (from 1943).
He also practiced the technique of etching. Thus, in 1945 and 1949 there appeared portfolios containing a number of etchings by him. In 1952 he undertook a second trip to Italy.

Works by Wallaert were shown at the Heimat Tent Exhibition in Zolder (1939), together with those by Wellens Charles, Damien, Jac Douven, Habex, and Thysmans.
In 1946, in the hall "Onder de Toren" in Hasselt, Pro Arte organized a group exhibition featuring works by, among others, Maclot, Paul Hermans, Charles Wellens, Van Doren, and also Wallaert.
Wallaert also displayed several sea scenes at the exhibition 'Sea Symphonies' in Hasselt (1947).
A retro exhibition took place at the Begijnhof in Hasselt (1967).

Wallaert was, first and foremost, a painter and etcher, but he also made his mark as a writer. He was a member of the Association of Limburg Writers and of the P.E.N. in Brussels. He wrote contributions for De Standaard, De Zweep, Nieuw Limburg. He also wrote various art contributions, among others about Baron Isidoor Opsomer, James Ensor, Rik Wouters, and others.

In two places the canvas and the paint are very thin (see photos), but there are no holes.

My parents bought this work in 1947 directly from the artist in Hasselt.

Shipping: Given the dimensions and the fragility of the canvas, this can be picked up in Brussels, 1050 Ixelles.