Gustave Dierkens (1878–1940), “la Couture,” Oil On Canvas

Gustave Eugène Dierkens was a Belgian artist born in 1878 and who died in Ghent in 1940. He was a painter, sculptor, and draftsman. He was the son of Eugène Theodoor and studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent. In 1901, he participated in the preliminary competition for the Prix de Rome in painting. His works include landscapes, cityscapes, figures, portraits, still lifes, and flowers. As a sculptor, he created bust plaques and portraits, several of which are located at the Ghent Municipal Cemetery. He worked professionally as a teacher. In 1895, he co-founded the Cercle de l’Art et du Savoir in Ghent. He participated in the Circle’s exhibitions in Ghent in 1898, 1901, 1904, 1907, and 1923. Listed in the Lexicon of East Flemish Painters and Sculptors 1700–1940 (Daniël Van Ryssel, 2008). Paul PIRON