VENUS AND THE THREE GRACES

Painter of genre scenes, portraits and women; watercolourist and painter of gouaches.

Jan Frans De Boever was a pupil of Théodore Joseph Canneel and Louis Tytgadt, whose niece he married in 1896. He made his debut in an academic style, but turned resolutely to symbolism in 1908. Women were his preferred subject. It is remarkable that he never painted real nudes; in fact, most of his nudes always wear some form of clothing. As such, women in his body of work are either seductresses, challengers or even she-devils. They are always portrayed as lovers, witches or prostitutes, offerings or goddesses. The man is always her subordinate.

De Boever gave drawing lessons at the Ghent Academy from 1900 until 1932.