Portret van Julius de Geyter 1897

Louis Peeters made this portrait of Julius de Geyter in 1897. It’s a small print, and we can see from the inscription that it’s a ‘State proof,’ so it was made as part of the printmaking process. De Geyter was a Flemish writer, and from his appearance, we can surmise he was a bourgeois intellectual. His image is framed by the graphic medium. But what can this image tell us about the social conditions that shape artistic production? The late nineteenth century in Belgium was a time of political, social, and artistic change. The country was industrializing, and there was a growing socialist movement. In this context, art was often seen as a tool for social change. As historians, we can look at archives, letters, and publications. This print serves as a reminder that art is always shaped by the world around it.