The Life of Edward Woutermaertens
Born in Kortrijk, Belgium, Edward Woutermaertens was the son of Lodewijk Frans, a goldsmith, and Marie Thérèse Seynaeve. His artistic journey began in 1836 at the Academy of Kortrijk, where he studied alongside fellow pupils such as the brothers Hendrik and Edmond de Praetere. Following his academic training in 1840, he spent six years as a pupil of the animal painter Lodewijk or Louis Robbe. Woutermaertens married Camilla Dervaux, and together they had nine children. His brother, Constant, also became a painter. Throughout his career, he achieved success and gained patrons in France, England, and locally. He was a regular member of the jury for the year-end awards at the Academy of Kortrijk and served as a teacher to Vincent De Vos and Valère Verheust.
Artistic Style and Subject Matter
Woutermaertens was a painter who specialized in scenes featuring animals, with a particular preference for sheep. While he initially began painting dogs, he eventually found inspiration in depicting sheep, even keeping his own flock of sheep with a hired shepherd. His works were accepted at various official salons, including those in Kortrijk, Bruges, Brussels, Paris, and Boulogne-sur-Mer. He was known for his realistic style, depicting his animal subjects with great detail and accuracy. He often worked en plein air, exploring the Belgian coast and the region of Veurne to find settings for his subjects. His compositions typically featured animals in open landscapes suffused with sunlight, where the landscape served as a key part of the action rather than a mere decorative element. In addition to sheep, he also painted dogs.
