Henri De Braekeleer was the most important Flemish painter in the 19th century before James Ensor. His oeuvre is characterised by a preference for familiar scenes from everyday life, painted with a great sense of realism. Initially, there was some resistance to his work because of its lack of political or social criticism, for which reason some considered it ‘banal’. On the other hand, his detailed realism, striking treatment of light and great colourist qualities won him immediate praise and success in both traditional and avant-garde art circles. The Man in the Chair, a.k.a. The Room in the Brewers’ Hall, is one of De Braekeleer’s best-known works. The light pouring in through the window determines the whole atmosphere of the painting. The convincingly painted details and the masterly treatment of light are the fruit of long hours of observation and study. The Man in the Chair is a meditative record of a fleeting moment that radiates a misleading sense of peace and quiet. The warm colours, simple composition and tangible details are typical of De Braekeleer. It is the artist’s treatment rather than the subject matter that gives this painting its strength and value.
