Maurice Sys, 1880 – 1972
Maurice Sys's 1 Most Famous Paintings
Sleep on Grey Water (1919) is the painting Maurice Sys is best remembered for. Our catalogue counts 1 works by Maurice Sys. Here are the 1 most famous, with the year, the museum and the story of each canvas.
Ranked by our popularity score, which combines the searches, visits and orders for each work. Updated October 2026.
- Born · died
- 1880 – 1972, Ghent
- Works in our catalogue
- 1
- Most famous
- Sleep on Grey Water (1919)
The ten best-loved paintings by Maurice Sys
Maurice Sys's most famous canvases, one year after another
The dated canvases of Maurice Sys on this page all belong to 1919: here they are, in order of fame.
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1919
Ranked 1 of 1
Sleep on Grey Water
Maurice Sys's canvases, question by question
Which canvas is Maurice Sys most remembered for?Read the answer
Sleep on Grey Water (1919).
Sleep on Grey Water: how old was Maurice Sys when it was painted?Read the answer
Maurice Sys, born in 1880, was 39 years old: Sleep on Grey Water dates from 1919.
How many paintings did Maurice Sys create?Read the answer
1 works by Maurice Sys are in our catalogue.
Meet the painter: Maurice Sys
The Life and Art of Maurice Sys
Born in Ghent, Belgium, Maurice Sys was a painter, pastellist, and watercolorist. He received his formal training at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent and later spent four years studying at the Higher Institute of Fine Arts in Antwerp. His artistic journey saw him residing in Laethem-Saint-Martin between 1907 and 1923, and he was considered a member of the second group of the School of Laethem-Saint-Martin. During the First World War, he sought refuge in the Netherlands before returning to settle in Ghent in 1923.
His diverse body of work encompasses landscapes, seascapes, interior scenes, portraits, nudes, and still lifes. He was particularly drawn to the views of rivers, the banks of the Lys, the picturesque towns of Holland, ports, and the lives of fishermen. Often working from a boat converted into a studio, he navigated Flemish rivers toward France and the Netherlands to capture marine views. His technique evolved from using large brushstrokes until approximately 1920 toward a style where impressionism informed the light, atmosphere, and vivid colors of his compositions.
Exhibitions and Collections
Maurice Sys's work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including the 1905 Universal Exhibition in Liège, where his painting La Maison du passeur was acquired by the French government. His pieces have been showcased in various salons in Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp, and Liège, as well as in several art galleries. His artistic output includes notable works such as:
His paintings are preserved in several museum collections, including the following: