28 Facts About Rik Wouters

Hendrik Emil Wouters was a Belgian painter, sculptor and draughtsman.

Rik Wouters died partway through the First World War on 11 July 1916 in Amsterdam.

Rik Wouters' art, according to Adams, reflects themes of "warmth and tenderness", his paintings characterised by an array of colours and brush strokes, frequently leaving unpainted canvas to increase this effect.

Rik Wouters was educated in fine arts academies in Mechelen and Brussels, however his works usually slightly differ stylistically from other Fauvist artists.

Hendrik Emil Wouters was born on 21 August 1882 in Mechelen, Belgium.

Rik Wouters's father, Emil Wouters, was an ornamental sculptor and his mother, Melania Daems, was a housewife.

In 1912, Rik Wouters painted a portrait of his friend, entitled 'Portrait of Ernest Wijnants'.

Rik Wouters developed an interest in drawing, and practiced in his free time.

In 1897, aged fifteen, Rik Wouters left his father's workshop in pursuit of a career as an artist and sculptor.

Rik Wouters remained a pupil for 4 years; until 1901.

Rik Wouters applied to the Academy of Brussels in 1900, but was only admitted in 1901, resulting in a relocation to the Belgian capital to begin his tutelage under Charles Van der Stappen.

Rik Wouters achieved high results in the academy, ranking first in sculpture and second in historical composition.

Regardless of his academic success, Rik Wouters burned his works at the end of each year of his apprenticeship.

Rik Wouters's earliest completed surviving pieces of sculpture are from 1907 and his earliest paintings date from 1908.

Edith Hoffman suggests that in these early works, although proficient in both crafts, Rik Wouters remained "dependant on those masters he admired most", and that it wasn't until 1909 for his sculpting and 1910 for his painting that he became "completely individual".

However, Rik Wouters was unable to support himself financially and so moved back in with his father in Mechelen.

Again helping his father, Rik Wouters failed to produce anything he deemed as satisfactory.

Rik Wouters achieved three-dimensionality through colour contrasts- shadowing with darker reds, blues or greens- but rarely using drawn contours.

Completely free of academic rigidity, Rik Wouters was awarded second place in the Godecharle competition for his work 'Reverie' in 1907.

Rik Wouters was the first Belgian artist to commit to a gallery contract of this kind.

Rik Wouters adopted a clearer and brighter palette and began to use light cloth in order to better preserve the colour tone.

Additionally, Rik Wouters started to dilute the oil paint with turpentine.

Additionally, Rik Wouters produced a number of self portraits over his painting years.

The First World War enveloped Belgium in 1914 and Rik Wouters was mobilised to the front for over 6 weeks near the city of Liege.

Rik Wouters then arrived in Antwerp and was deployed in Fort Haasdonk.

Rik Wouters got his first individual exhibition during this year however the symptoms of his disease were beginning to manifest.

Rik Wouters was captured and was taken to prisoner-of-war camps in Amersfoort and Zeist, but was provided with materials to paint and draw with.

Rik Wouters lost his eye to cancer 3 months before his death on 11 July 1916.