William Degouve de Nuncques (1867-1935)

The French born Belgian artist William Degouve de Nuncques was part of the symbolist movement which came into being in the 1880’s in France. Symbolism was a reaction to movements who sought to capture reality in detail (realism, naturalism and impressionisme) while symbolism tried to do so in favour of spirituality, the imagination, and dreams. The movement existed in the arts, litterature, music and theatre and was of great influencec to Art Nouveau, Surrealism and Expressionism.

Looking at the life and career of Degouve de Nuncques it seems like the road to Symbolism was hard to miss. His father was an erudite man who taught him about the arts, literature, music, science and philosophy. Under the encouragement of his father he decided to pursu an artistic career. At sixteen he shared the studio with Jan Toorop, the leading figure of the symbolist mouvement in Holland. They even lived under the same roof, together with the painter Henry de Groux. In 1894 he married Miss Juliette Massin, a painter as well and became the brother in law of Emile Verhaeren, a Belgian author who wrote amongst other, Symbolist poems. Through Verhaeren, Degouve de Nuncques entered the circle of the Symbolist artistic and literary world.

With his wife he undertook many journeys to Italy, Spain, Austria and France. In 1899 they left for Spain where they spent almost three years, mostly on the Belaeren. In this period he made some of his most impressive paintings. He thought of this island group as paradise lost.  He was inspired by the landscape, the vibrant sun, the with olive trees covered hills, the fields of almondtrees and the sea with all its harmonies.

‘Cette ile merveilleuse’ ces paysages grandioses, tout vibrant de soleil, avec les montagnes couvertes d’oliviers, les plaines d’ amandes, la mer et ses multiples harmonies, me laissent encore aujourd’hui comme la sensation d’un paradis perdu’

He painted a series of land and seascapes of the Belaeren and in 1902 he exhibited together with his wife some works at the gallery Art Nouveau in Paris. This was the gallery of the leading Art Nouveau dealer Siegfried Bing (the style art nouveau derives from this gallery). He opened this gallery in 1895 and his goal was to create artistic interiors with literary new art. He combined applied arts with fine arts. Bing had a preference for symbolist artists such as Fernand Khnopff, Felix Valotton and Degouve de Nuncques. According to the exhibition leaflet, the exhibition in 1902 was called Les Iles (The Islands) and the painting offered here for sale was no. 4 called Les Citronniers.