The Family in the Garden | MSK Gent
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The Family in the Garden, ca. 1919

  • oil paint, canvas
  • 70 x 90 cm
  • Inv. 2022-M

Public Domain

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This painting is an interesting document because it refers to the homecoming of Gustave Van de Woestyne and his family after staying in Wales and England. We see the couple with between them David, who had been born in Wales. On the left are Maria, the eldest daughter, and Maxime. Between the two groups, twin sisters Elisabeth and Béatrice walk hand in hand. It is uncertain whether the scene reflects the reality of the 'Rose House' in Waregem, where the artist took up residence in the summer of 1919. Nevertheless, it is clear that the 'Rose House' on the right is meant, while the Belgian flag underlines that the scene is indeed set in the homeland. It may surprise Van de Woestyne to create such a naive-looking depiction after the ambitious works he painted in Wales and England. The work is reminiscent of the naive art of Henri Rousseau, whom Van de Woestyne mentions as 'my friend' in one of his letters (Gustave Van de Woestyne to Jacob de Graaff, 14 June 1919). The fresh simplicity of the work seems to symbolise the beginning of a new phase of life in an unfamiliar paradise. For the artist, the family and the home acquire a special significance in the first years after the forced stay in the foreign country, several works testify to this. In this sense, this work represents an unfinished transition to a new phase in his art.

Artist

Gustave Van de Woestyne RKD VIAF Wikidata
Ghent 1881 - Uccle 1947

Title The Family in the Garden
Date ca. 1919
Period 20th century
Location Waregem TGN
Collection paintings AAT
Object type oil paintings (visual works) AAT
Inventory number 2022-M
Acquisition credit purchase
Van de Woestyne-Vanagt, Huguette
2022
Current whereabouts Work on display
Permalink https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/2022-M
IIIF Manifest https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/7805/manifest.json
Art & Architecture Thesaurus 300189808 figures (representations) AAT
Keywords Iconclass 25G(+32) plants; vegetation (+ flowers, blossom, blossoming) Iconclass
25G3 trees Iconclass
25I1 city-view in general; 'veduta' Iconclass
31A71 male sex; man Iconclass
31A72 female sex; woman Iconclass
31D112 child Iconclass
31D1121 tot, toddler ~ the ages of man Iconclass
31D11221 boy (child between toddler and youth) Iconclass
31D11222 girl (child between toddler and youth) Iconclass
31D120 Youth, Adolescence, 'Iuventus'; 'Adolescenza', 'Gioventu' (Ripa) Iconclass
31D130 Maidenhood Iconclass
34B11 dog Iconclass
41A6 garden Iconclass
41A721 chairs (furniture forms) Iconclass
41D2654 bow (ornamental part of clothing) Iconclass
42G2111 father (first degree family relationships) Iconclass
42G2112 mother (first degree family relationships) Iconclass
42G2121 son (first degree family relationships) Iconclass
42G2122 daughter (first degree family relationships) Iconclass
44A3(+2) flag, colours (as symbol of the state, etc.) (+ nation; national) Iconclass
61B2(DAVID VAN DE WOESTYNE) historical person (DAVID VAN DE WOESTYNE) Iconclass
61B2(GUSTAVE VAN DE WOESTYNE) historical person (GUSTAVE VAN DE WOESTYNE) Iconclass
61B2(MAXIME VAN DE WOESTYNE) historical person (MAXIME VAN DE WOESTYNE) Iconclass
61BB2(BEATRICE VAN DE WOESTYNE) historical person (BEATRICE VAN DE WOESTYNE) - BB - woman Iconclass
61BB2(ELISABETH VAN DE WOESTYNE) historical person (ELISABETH VAN DE WOESTYNE) - BB - woman Iconclass
61BB2(MARIA VAN DE WOESTYNE) historical person (MARIA VAN DE WOESTYNE) - BB - woman Iconclass
61BB2(PRUDENCE DE SCHEPPER) historical person (PRUDENCE DE SCHEPPER) - BB - woman Iconclass
61E(WAREGEM) names of cities and villages (WAREGEM) Iconclass
61F(ROZENHUIS) names of historical buildings, sites, streets, etc. (ROZENHUIS) Iconclass
School / Style phantasy
naive art AAT
Gustave Van de Woestyne (tentoonstelling Gent, Museum voor Schone Kunsten, 27 maart - 27 juni 2010) / Robert Hoozee, Cathérine Verleysen, Piet Boyens, Marc Somers, Huguette Van de Woestyne-Vanagt. - Gent : Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, 2010 ; Brussel : Mercatorfonds, 2010 (p. 120-121, cat. 59 (ill.))
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