(Warneton 1799–1881 Schaerbeek)
A Pastoral Idyll, signed, dated Eugène Verboeckhoven f. 1831,
oil on canvas, 119 x 148 cm, framed

Provenance:
Private Collection, Germany.

Compare:
Herman De Vilder, Kris Van de Ven, Eugène-Joseph Verboeckhoven (1798–1881), Vilvoorde 2006, p. 80, III. 57.

Born in Flanders in 1798, Eugene Verboeckhonen is an example of a well-rounded artist. As a painter, sculptor, etcher and lithographer, he initially drew inspiration from his surroundings, focusing on animals and the landscape. After completing his education at the Academy of Ghent, he went on to work at the Kierdorff Lithographic printing company which allowed him to be financially stable and deepen his knowledge. Verboeckhonen was also known for his drawings, meticulously preparing his paintings with preliminary sketches. Following the Flanders tradition, many of his works are reminiscent of seventeenth century still lifes, making use of a technique that remained unaltered. However, Verboeckhonen travelled throughout his life, allowing him to depict different landscapes and animals.
From the start of his career Verboeckhonen became known for his cattle paintings although he later also gained notoriety for his portraits. For his artistic achievements, he was named a chevalier de l’Ordre de Leopold in 1833 and acquired many important patrons and admirers such as Ferdinand van der Haeghen, Albert Voituron or Leopold I. Verboeckhonen also exhibited in numerous fine art exhibitions and was a member of several academies, such as Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp, St. Petersburg and Amsterdam.
In this painting, Verboeckhonen chose one of his favoured recurring subject matters: a shepherd with his sheep and cattle. Often painting from life, this allowed him to depict movement, and through the animals’ realistic poses, this work makes no exception.