Light Reflections on the Snow

Gustave Den Duyts was a self-taught painter who enjoyed depicting the outskirts of Ghent, often capturing their character in monumental paintings. Unlike his fellow Belgian impressionists he did not paint sun-drenched landscapes. On the contrary, Den Duyts depicted the peace and quiet of nature. His preference lay in nostalgic autumn and winter landscapes. In Light Reflected on Snow we see…

Gustave Den Duyts was a self-taught painter who enjoyed depicting the outskirts of Ghent, often capturing their character in monumental paintings. Unlike his fellow Belgian impressionists he did not paint sun-drenched landscapes. On the contrary, Den Duyts depicted the peace and quiet of nature. His preference lay in nostalgic autumn and winter landscapes. In Light Reflected on Snow we see his love for vast panoramas. The evening light softens the outlines of the various elements in the landscape. The thaw which is beginning to set in is suggested in soft tones of colour. Den Duyts’ melancholy paintings, watercolours and drawings greatly influenced later generations of Ghent artists, including Albert Baertsoen and Jules De Bruycker.