A View of the river - Anna De Weert (Gent 1867 - 1950)

Oil on canvas
Signed lower right and also signed on the back.

Dimensions: 38 x 55 cm
THE ARTWORK

This serene landscape by Anna De Weert captures a tranquil riverside scene, rendered in her characteristic Luminist style. Soft brushstrokes and a harmonious color palette bring out the peacefulness of the natural surroundings, with gentle reflections in the water and soft hues in the vegetation. The impressionistic technique lends a sense of light and atmosphere, inviting the viewer into the idyllic countryside. Signed both on the front and back, the painting exemplifies De Weert's mastery in capturing the effects of light on landscape.

THE ARTIST

Anna De Weert (née Cogen, 1867–1950) was a Belgian painter known for her contribution to the Luminist movement. Born in Ghent to a family with a deep appreciation for nature and art, she was surrounded by a creative environment from an early age. Her family included notable figures, such as her grandfather, writer Karel Lodewijk Ledeganck, and her uncles, painters Alphons and Felix Cogen. Following her father’s early death, De Weert was raised by her mother and grandmother, spending summers at the family’s estate in Menton, France—a tradition that continued throughout her life.
Formally trained at the Academy of Ghent, De Weert was a student of Emile Claus, the influential Belgian painter who had a profound impact on her style. Through Claus, she adopted the Luminist approach, focusing on capturing natural light and color. De Weert maintained a close connection with Claus, often visiting him and painting alongside him during the 1890s. Her own studio, a converted farm near the river Lys in Afsnee, became a sanctuary where she pursued her art amidst the pastoral beauty that inspired her work.
De Weert was an active member of Ghent's Cercle Artistique et Littéraire and exhibited there regularly from 1895 onward. Over her lifetime, she built a reputation as a dedicated artist who meticulously portrayed landscapes with a sensitivity to light and atmosphere, making a significant mark in Belgian art.