Louis Dewis: A Belgian Post-Impressionist

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

A few weeks ago, I visited the Orlando Museum of Art to view the exhibit Louis Dewis: A Belgian Post-Impressionist.  I had heard very positive things from those who had already seen the show and I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition.  It is an incredibly well-curated show including artifacts from the artist’s life to compliment his artwork and his fascinating life story.

I wrote about the exhibit for ArtScene Press.  Here is a brief excerpt…

Dewis was clearly inspired by the great artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and it shows in his work. The loose brushstrokes and soft, natural palettes of the Impressionists, and the romantic landscape compositions of Corot permeate his paintings. And there’s a nod to Monet with the inclusion of Dewis’ water lilies. But he was not a mere copyist, and his work was not a hobby. His studies demonstrate his skill with pencil and paper, and his almost mathematical approach to composition. His painting, The Old Beggar, illustrates his expertise in realism, but there is something more. He imbues each painting with a vitality the viewer can feel. This portrait of an old man desperate for a few coins isn’t a sentimental view of poverty: it’s a rendering of pure empathy.

To read the entire article, please follow this link…

https://artscenepress.com/louis-dewis/

For more information on the Louis Dewis exhibit, please follow this link…

https://omart.org/exhibitions/louis_dewis/

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.