Around 1880 the fishing community of Heyst and the farming village of Knocke attracted prominent artists from the literature and painting art societies. Theo Van Rysselberghe and Alfred Verwee spoke in superlatives about both places enticing many well-known artists to go there. This brought about the settlement of a solid and very lively artist colony in these villages.

In Heyst the turbulent seas, the sloops on the beach and colourful seamen became the ideal background for the artists. Whilst in Knokke the Kerkstraat, the windmills, the dunes and cattle strolling the polderplains enchanted the painters. Today pictures, painted more than one hundred years ago in Knokke & Heist, are still being discovered.

The exhibition IMPRESSIONISTS IN KNOCKE & HEYST (1870-1914) represents the important period 1870-1914 by means of more than 200 paintings coming from private collections and museums in Belgium and Germany .

[NL] [FR] [DU]

In conjunction with the exhibition an exquisitely illustrated 3 part-book will be on sale. Part one provides an authentic portrayal of the day-to-day life of the painters. Rare photographs, documents and letters from a.o. Emile Verhaeren, poet & art critic, add another dimension to the book. Friendships were made within the artistic circle- painters came and went- where did they reside? Who is aware of the fact that Camille Pissarro once stayed in Knokke? Ten artists: Paul Baum, Anna Boch, Geo Bernier, Paul Parmentier, Dario de Regoyos, Felicien Rops, Willy Schlobach, Theo Van Rysselberghe, Alfred Verwee en Emmanuel Viérin had close ties with Knokke & Heist and are being viewed more closely in the book.

Part two provides a colour catalogue in four languages of all the paintings in the exhibition. Part three provides a biographical overview of more than 200 artists who painted in Knokke-Heist. This book in printed in Dutch and French. Editor: Stichting Kunstboek. Price: € 39,00.

Place
Cultuurcentrum Scharpoord, Meerlaan 32, 8300 Knokke-Heist
November 24th 2007 – January 20th 2008
Open every day: 10.00 – 18.00

Entrance fee
Adult € 5,00 | 60+ and Groups € 3,00 | -12 free

Information and reservations
+32 (0)50 530 730 – Dit E-mail adres wordt beschermd tegen spambots. U moet JavaScript geactiveerd hebben om het te kunnen zien.

Access
500 meters from train station Knokke and terminal Coastal Tram

For overnight stay (information and reservations)
Tourism Knokke-Heist : +32 (0)50 630 380 – Dit E-mail adres wordt beschermd tegen spambots. U moet JavaScript geactiveerd hebben om het te kunnen zien. – www.knokke-heist.info