A Brussels Painter of Domestic Bliss: The Life and Art of Charles van den Eycken Charles van den Eycken, born in Brussels in 1859, occupies a charming niche within the landscape of late 19th and early 20th-century Belgian painting. While not a revolutionary figure challenging artistic conventions, his enduring appeal lies in his ability to capture the quiet intimacy of domestic life, particularly through his affectionate portrayals of animals – most notably cats and dogs. Born into an artistic family—his father and grandfather were both painters—van den Eycken’s path seemed predetermined, ye…