About the artist
Théophile van Rysselberghe, born into a French-speaking bourgeois family, trained at the Academy of Ghent and later at Brussels' Royal Academy. Around 1880, he made three inspiring trips to Morocco, capturing its vibrant street life in his work, which was received with great interest in Belgium. In 1883, he co-founded the progressive artist group, Les XX, attracting members like Auguste Rodin and Paul Signac. He also formed crucial bonds with American painters William Merritt Chase and John Singer Sargent, who significantly influenced his portraiture.
In 1886, van Rysselberghe was enthralled by Impressionism, quickly adopting Seurat's pointillist style. His brushwork softened post-1903, and his later works exhibit a blend of classical influence and that of emerging Art Nouveau. He died in 1926 in Le Lavandou, France. His art is shown in The National Gallery in London, New York's Museum of Modern Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent.
