The black cat

Ypres artist Louise De Hem is going international! The Ypres Museum is lending her beautiful pastel painting “De Zwarte Kat” (The Black Cat) to the exhibition “El pastel, la renovación de un arte” at the Casa Garriga Nogués art gallery in the heart of Barcelona. The exhibition runs until 5 January 2020.

Louise De Hem

(1866–1922)

One of Ypres' most important artists is Louise De Hem, daughter of a modest textile merchant. Her older sister married the Ypres painter Théodore Ceriez (1831–1904), a teacher at the Ypres Academy. He discovered Louise's talent for drawing and painting. But the art academy was exclusively for boys. Louise was able to turn to her brother-in-law, who taught her the basic techniques of drawing and painting. At the age of 19, Louise exhibited a painting in Spa. A year later, she studied art in Brussels and in 1887 she moved to Paris, where she studied with the renowned master Alfred Stevens (1823–1906) and at the Académie Julian. She received scholarships from the city of Ypres. Louise returned in 1891. She received commissions for realistic portraits of wealthy families from Ypres and the surrounding area. She turned these into sensitive works of art, tingling with colour. In her more personal work, she vividly and realistically depicted the poverty, social injustice and traditions of her surroundings. Pastel was her favourite technique.

Discover all of Louise's works here.