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The painting, which is possibly unfinished, dates from shortly after Van de Woestyne returned from England in the summer of 1919. We see the couple with between them their son 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 set in the homeland. In terms of style, the painting’s bright colours and explicitly naive execution recall works by the French painter Henri Rousseau (1844-1910). Correspondence reveals that Van de Woestyne admired him particularly at that time. The fresh simplicity of the work seems to symbolise the beginning of a new phase of life in an unfamiliar paradise.
The artist Gustave Van de Woestyne has been associated with the Ghent museum for decades. As early as 1913, the museum acquired the Portrait of Prudence De Schepper (1910), the artist's wife. In the course of the 20th century paintings were added as Farmer (or Evening; 1910), Farmer's wife (1913), Hospitality for strangers (1920), Christ in the Desert (1939), and - in 1991 - Fugue (1925). In this way, by the beginning of the 21st century the museum possessed key works from the most significant phases of the artist's career.
After 2000, a great deal of additional attention was given to Van de Woestynes' graphic oeuvre, adding a.o. preparatory drawings for Streuvel's retranslation of the Middle Dutch epic Van den vos Reynaerde, but also the probably best-known portrait drawing Gustave made of his brother, the poet-writer-critic Karel van de Woestijne (1910).
Read more about the new acquisition 'The Family in the Garden (c. 1919) by Gustave Van de Woestyne on the website of MSK Gent.
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