The parents of Florent Verschoote, Pierre and Amélie Verschoote, emigrated to Buenos Aires, Argentina to seek their fortune. It was in Buenos Aires that their relatives were involved in the enterprise which built the city's tramways which were of Belgian origin. At one time Buenos Aires was known as the 'City of Trams'.

 

Whilst they were living in Argentina, Pierre and Amélie had two sons, Alvaro and Florindo.

 

When the boys were just three and one years old respectively, Amélie, their mother, died and their father decided to return home to Belgium. There he subsequently married Rosalie by whom he had four children: Jules, Aline, Marguerite and Adrienne.

 

Once settled back in Belgium, Florindo, as he was then named, grew up there and he adopted the French derivative of his name, Florent. He later married Louise by whom he had one daughter, Anna.

 

Working as a painter & decorator and cabinet maker by day, Florent followed in the line of many of the Flemish nation at the time when he took up painting as a hobby and he studied art at The Académie des Beaux Arts in Brussels. His speciality was landscapes which truly captured the distinctive nature of the Flemish countryside around him, although he did also paint the occasional portrait.

 

When not working or painting Florent would associate with a select group of local artists and academics on a regular basis to discuss the world of art amongst other subjects.

 

Florent was deeply affected by the effects of his country being occupied by enemy forces during two World Wars and painting such idyllic landscapes would no doubt have helped him overcome the trauma left behind by the horrors and deprivations that he witnessed and experienced at first hand. When viewing his landscapes the overriding impression communicated is that of a life lived at a slower pace, of being at one with nature and a deep sense of that rare commodity in twenty-first century life; that of peace.

 

His landscapes demonstrate a deep empathy with the pastoral scenes he knew and understood so well and his portrayal of trees in leaf display a realistic quality which is a recognizable feature of his paintings. Likewise, his sensitive reproduction of agricultural livestock, present in many of his pictures, is yet another distinctive hallmark of his work.

 

Much of the area that he painted is still used for agriculture, but the crops and farming methods employed today have changed considerably since he first painted the rural scenes where he lived. His paintings are therefore a valuable window into a time and a way of life that no longer exists.

 

Sadly, Florent Verschoote never had the one-man exhibition, which would have brought his work and talents before a much wider audience, before he died. As a result we shall never truly know whether he would have gained the recognition that his undisputed talents deserved.

 

Nevertheless his pictures are still displayed in many homes in Belgium, and further afield as well, and interest in his life and work continues to this day.

 

It is hoped that visitors will enjoy viewing his paintings on this website and also that they  will be instrumental in stimulating interest in the wealth of talent that emanated from this small region of Europe.

 

The website will be updated as further information about Florent is gathered, so do return from time to time to see what is new.