Stunning landscape painting by Joseph Coosemans depicting an autumn forest river bank with a female figure washing clothes. This circa 1880 oil on canvas is in very good condition with original Barbizon style frame. Signed by the artist in the lower left corner, this piece captures the beauty of nature and evokes a peaceful, timeless atmosphere.
Joseph Théodore Coosemans was a Belgian landscape painter. Born on 19 March 1828, in Brussel, his father, Adriaan, was a merchant, who died when Joseph was only a year old. His mother, Anna, died the following year and he was placed in the care of an aunt. After studies at a Jesuit college in Brussels, he took a job as a notary in Tervuren. He later worked as a clerk for a horse farm, and held several clerical positions for the city governments in Tervuren and Duisburg.
These areas were favorite spots for artists, which led him to develop an interest in painting. Under the influence of Théodore Fourmois, he decided to specialize in landscapes. He held his first exhibition in 1863. He remained entirely self-taught.
In 1868, he was one of the co-founders of the Société Libre des Beaux-Arts; originally a small workshop, later a sort of free academy. After 1872, he devoted himself exclusively to painting. During this time, he became one of the first members of an artists' group known as the School van Tervuren.
He made visits to Normandy with Alfred Verwée and Louis Dubois, and spent a short time at Barbizon around 1875. While there, he created some works in the style of the Barbizon School. His own style gradually evolved from that of Fourmois to a simpler approach, reminiscent of Hippolyte Boulenger, his patron at Tervuren. Although his design is realistic, his vision remains romantic. Coosemans' preference is for melancholic autumn and winter scenes, nocturnal settings and slices of wild, untouched nature.
In 1887, he was named a Professor of landscape painting at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. In 1893, he suffered a cerebral haemorrhage, which paralyzed his right hand. Although he was able to learn how to paint with his left hand, his works took on a sketchy appearance. He retained his position at the Academy until his death on 24 September 1904, in Schaerbeek.
Several of his works can be found in the Museums of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Tournai, Ghent, Courtrai, Leuven and Liège. The Museum of Modern Masters in Bruges, the Museum of Ixelles and the Town Hall of Termonde also house works by Joseph Coosemans.
