Khnopff, Fernand Edmond Jean Marie
KHNOPFF, FERNAND EDMOND JEAN MARIE (1858- ), Belgian painter and etcher, was born at the chateau de Grembergen (Termonde), on the 12th of September 1858, and studied under X. Mellery. He developed a very original talent, his work being characterized by great delicacy of colour, tone and harmony, as subtle in spiritual and intellectual as in its material qualities. " A Crisis " (1881) was followed by " Listening to Schumann," " St Anthony " and " The Queen of Sheba " (1883), and then came one of his best known works, " The Small Sphinx " (1884). His " Memories " (1889) and " White, Black and gold " (1901) are in the Brussels Museum; " Portrait of Mile R." (1889) in the Venice Museum; "A Stream at Fosset " (1897) at Budapest Museum; " The Empress "(1899) in the collection of the emperor of Austria, and " A Musician " in that of the king of the Belgians. " I lock my Door upon Myself " (1891), which was exhibited at the New Gallery, London, in 1902 and there attracted much attention, was acquired by the Pinakothek at Munich. Other works are " Silence " (1890), " The Idea of Justice " (1905) and " Isolde " (1906), together with a polychrome bust " Sibyl " (1894) and an ivory mask (1897). In quiet intensity of feeling Khnopff was influenced by Rossetti, and in simplicity of line by Burne- Jones, but the poetry and the delicately mystic and enigmatic note of his work are entirely individual. He did good work also as an etcher and drypointist.
See L. Dumont-Wilden, Fernand Khnopff (Brussels, 1907).
Note - this article incorporates content from Encyclopaedia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, (1910-1911)
