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Quiet Georges Lemmen

Verstilde Georges Lemmen - Lyklema Fine Art
Georges Lemmen (Schaerbeek 1865 – Uccle 1916) was a Belgian painter, engraver and illustrator, working in the style of (post)impressionism and pointillism. Lemmen studied for a short time at the drawing school in Sint-Joost-ten-Noode. Initially influenced by Degas and Toulouse, in 1988 he joined the Brussels artist group Les XX, an avant-garde group of artists and sculptors active in Brussels between 1883 and 1893. Well-known members of Les XX were James Ensor, Théo Van Rysselberghe, Willy Finch, Fernand Khnopff and Félicien Rops. Later Auguste Rodin, Paul Signac and Jan Toorop joined. In the early 1990s, influenced by the work of Georges Seurat and Théo van Rysselberghe, he made works in a pointillist style and a neo-impressionist style. Lemmen is best known for his posters, portraits, landscapes, still lifes and city and beach views, including those of Heist.

His tranquil portraits are often soft, dreamy and intimate. He finds his favorite models in his immediate family circle, whom he portrays with great sensitivity in their ordinary daily activities such as reading, resting or enjoying themselves. He used many shades of muted colors with attention to the soul of people and things.

He exhibited work at Les XX in Brussels and at the Salon des Indépendants in Paris with Seurat and Paul Signac. In 1894 Georges Lemmen turned away from neo-impressionism. He looked for a new way of painting that was less strict than the pointilled color schemes. Until 1900 he had no clear direction. He also designed posters, books and wallpaper; even to provide for his maintenance. For example, from 1893 until the dissolution of the association in 1914, he made posters for the art circle La Libre Esthétique every year.

Painting later evolved more in the direction of the post-impressionists of Les Nabis by Edouard Vuillard, Gauguin and Pierre Bonnard. They wanted to emphasize that a painting is essentially a flat surface, covered with colors in a certain order. The emphasis was on feeling and emotion where the decorative is of greater importance than the expressive. The artists simplified their shapes and used clear lines to delineate the unmixed areas of color. Lemmen was a bit more reserved in this than the other 'Nabis'. During that time he made many bathers. “I am at present completely occupied with numerous nude studies for compositions which I hope to work out soon,” he wrote in 1909.

In 1911 Lemmen received an invitation to travel to Beaulieu-sur-Mer in southern France. It would be the only trip Lemmen made. In Brussels he regularly had depressive thoughts about his situation. Although he exhibited internationally and was highly appreciated by colleagues, his income was limited. That changed temporarily in 1913 with a successful solo exhibition in Brussels. Lemmen's friends surprised him at the opening and the work sold exceptionally well. Lemmen was astonished. Lemmen is now one of the well-known artists of Les XX, the painter of inner life in warm colors and a forerunner in applied art with all his posters.

Kust bij Heist-RKD-1891
Kust bij Heist-RKD-1891
Kinderkamer-1900-Fine Arts Museum
Kinderkamer-1900-Fine Arts Museum
Jan Toorop-1905-MET NY
Jan Toorop-1905-MET NY
Jeune Fille-1907-RKD
Jeune Fille-1907-RKD
Affiche-1910-La Libre Esthetique
Affiche-1910-La Libre Esthetique
Baadster-1913-Van Goch Museum
Baadster-1913-Van Gogh Museum

 

 

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