Arthur Van Hecke: an artist who knew how to bring out the northern landscapes

Painter Arthur van Hecke was born in the North of France, what is commonly called the Flat Country. With his eyes and his heart, he thought of translating all those feelings that tell the story of the landscapes of his native region onto the canvas. Arthur Van Hecke fully identified with his work, which told the feelings and impressions of a man from the North.

A childhood between Roubaix and Bruges

Arthur Van Hecke was born in Roubaix in 1924 and died in Hondschoote in 2003. He came from a poor family and did not escape the fate of those who were born in a poor neighbourhood. At the age of 13, he was sent to work in a factory as a textile worker. His life reflected the evolution of the Northern France region at the beginning of the 20th century. He grew up in Roubaix, Daubenton street, cour van Welden, overlooking a courtyard with a ten-metre brick wall, a collective toilet and a pump. From the age of 12, he knew he wanted to paint and found the inspiration for his work in the subtle light that irrigates the great plains of the North, the generosity of the people who live in these lands, the wind that blows on the northern coasts and the landscapes by the sea.

A talented lithographer and painter

Arthur Van Hecke was a member of the Roubaix Group, a gathering of painters and sculptors from the North of France. Although very different in character and style, Van Hecke contributed to the revival of art in the North and in the art world in general. If you are not familiar with the work of this painter or if you wish to buy or sell one of his paintings, you can go to any decent art gallery. Indeed, his most beautiful paintings are regularly exhibited, including those of flowers, seascapes, portraits, etc.

A painter's soul!

From a very young age, Arthur Van Hecke was interested in painting and thus made his first paintings at the age of 12. To better understand the life and work of this artist, you can browse through his artwork in online galleries or any decent showroom. These works vary from portraits and northern landscapes to boats on the North Sea and more. A talented painter, Van Hecke was soon able to devote himself entirely to painting and open a studio that allowed his family to live decently. His artworks were exhibited alongside those of the greatest of his time, such as cubist artist Georges Braque, sculptor Fernand Léger and a little later the one and only Pablo Picasso.

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