Project Description
Oil on panel before 1960
Dimensions : 30 cm x 35 cm
Signed lower left : Van Mierlo
Romanesque tower of the former church of Saint Peter and Paul Brussels
and small building of the former hospice of the Five Wounds of Christ (Quartier Neder-over-Heembeek – Brussels)
Eugène Victor Joseph Van Mierlo
(Turnhout - Belgique 1880 –1972).
Luminist landscape painter, farms and interiors. Works in Schaerbeek.
In 1904, 1907 and 1910, he participated in the preparatory competition for the Prix de Rome. Active in Brussels; in 1926 he settled in Watermael-Boitsfort.
Participated in various exhibitions : 1907 “General Exhibition of Fine Arts” in Brussels, 1917 Gallery “Aeolian” in Brussels.
In the press : “Van Mierlo est un luministe, the symphony of sun and freshness is a real party in its “spring” and his “pommiers”.
Testimony of a reader of the art-memoires.com website :
"My parents lived in Neder-over-Heembeek where this painter worked a lot on the occasion of a preview of his exhibition in the old church of this town. This exhibition was organized by an alderman of the city of Brussels. Quite quickly a friendly relationship was created between my family and the painter.
Painting from nature
He worked mainly from nature and in all weathers he moved to his place of work and if the weather was too inclement he worked in his workshop. : still life, bouquets of flowers etc.. Sometimes rare portraits.
Eugene had a profound contempt for painters who work from postcards, such was his expression. While working in the town he laid his unfinished works with us, it avoided him transportation by tram.
Miss Joan shared a small apartment with Eugene ; at that time near the Saint Josse. Then he moved up Van Menen in an apartment near the city hall of Saint Gilles. This larger apartment had extensive glass which he used as a workshop.
The influence of travel
His simple life was simple and all devoted to painting. He made many trips in his youth, particularly to Italy., Rome and Florence with an indelible memory and stayed in a convent of nuns in Fiesole.
A deep admiration for Italian painters and Fra Angelico in particular will stay with him..
He painted many sites Neder-over-heembeek The old church of Kluis, of old houses, but also in other cities, Wolluwe in particular the water mill, an old farm, the chapel, and also in Brussels.
Here are some memories I have of this painter "
Another painting of the same historic site