A Pioneer of Flemish Expressionism Gustave De Smet was a Belgian painter and printmaker who emerged as a central figure in the development of Flemish Expressionism. Born in Ghent, he was the son of a decorative painter and photographer. His early years involved assisting his father with the decoration of fairground buildings, inns, and stores. While he attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent, he often preferred to work in nat…