Valérius de Saedeleer (Belgian, 1867-1941)

Though trained at the Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten in Ghent under Franz Courtens, Valérius de Saedeleer rejected Impressionism and instead sought out his own unique style which merged landscape painting inspired by the work of Pieter Bruegel the Elder with a mystical symbolism which sought a spiritual stillness and simplification of form. From 1898 to 1914 Saedeleer worked alongside a group of painters in the town of Sint-Martens-Latem, and together they formed the ‘First School of Latem,’ also called ‘The Mystic School of Latem.’ Most famous for painting panoramic river views and winter landscapes, Saedeleer is still well-regarded today for his restrained use of color and the haunting peacefulness of his empty landscapes which have been reduced to their purest form.
A photo certificate from Piet Boyens confirming the authenticity of this work accompanies the present lot.