Valerius de Saedeleer

In the Flemish artist’s village of Sint-Martens-Latem, landscape painter Valerius de Saedeleer finally finds his way in the years after 1900.

The considered style of composition in Winter on the river (1906), with the cloudless sky as a dominating element, contributes to an atmosphere of desolation and eternity. The artist achieves an impression of tranquility by placing an emphasis on the horizontal lines of the banks as well as the horizon line.

In search of the soul and structure of the landscape, de Saedeleer usually prefers the winter season. Later, the artist explained that he would always like to paint snow: “Snow is peace and protection, snow conceals, completes and covers. When the sky no longer knows what sort of blessing to give the world, it gives snow”.

The landscapes of Valerius de Saedeleer remain empty, void of any figures: the painter endeavors to find the essence and eternal values of nature all around him. 

 Piet Boyens has confirmed the authenticity on the basis of photographs and contributed the catalogue note.