Le Village

A bold Impressionist view of a village featuring textured and comma-shaped brushstrokes. From the viewpoint of the painting, we see primarily the side of one large house with white walls, a brown thatched roof and blue shutters. The house is illuminated against the organic tones of the road and surrounding structures.

About the artist:

Petrus René Lippens was a Belgian Impressionist painter, born in 1890 in Gentbrugge, a suburb of Ghent in the Flemish region, and he passed away in 1981 in Ghent. At the age of 17, Lippens embarked on an adventurous journey to New York, where he explored various facets of the United States, engaging in numerous jobs while nurturing his burgeoning interest in visual arts. This initial exposure ignited a deep-seated passion that compelled him to return to Belgium for formal training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tournai. His unyielding fascination with the United States led him on a subsequent voyage to Chicago.

Lippens' American sojourns profoundly shaped his artistic outlook, inspiring him to capture the dynamic and evolving landscape of 1920s America through his sketches. This era emerged as the most intense and productive period of his career, characterized by stark urban vistas, industrial motifs, and landscapes enveloped in metallic gray hues. Despite the evolving phases of his career, Lippens steadfastly adhered to a realistic-impressionist style, gradually incorporating brighter colors and adopting a lighter mood in his later works.

Critics often highlighted Lippens' somewhat pessimistic view of the world, albeit punctuated by moments of lyrical beauty. He exhibited a particular fondness for depicting the wear and tear of urban life, such as dilapidated buildings, empty plots, and desolate factories on the outskirts of cities. Lippens' contributions to the arts were not limited to his creative output; he also served at the Ghent Museum. In addition to his legacy in Belgium, Lippens gained recognition in the United States under the pseudonym "Mac Kelly." His artistry is celebrated and preserved at the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent, Belgium, ensuring his place in the annals of Impressionist painting.

• Overall Size: 20.8" x 24" / 53.5cm x 61.5cm.
  
• Size without the frame: 15.3" X 18.3" / 39cm x 46.5cm.
  
• Country: Belgium. 
  
• Signed: Piet Lippens (1890-1981). 
• Date: Mid 1900's.
• Condition: The canvas is in excellent condition, and the original heavy frame remains well-preserved, showing only a few minor impacts.
  
• Materials: Oil on stretched canvas with a wood and stucco frame.
• Shipping: This painting includes free shipping. An additional fee is applied for Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.