Louis Gallait

Louis Gallait prints bring home the work of the Belgian painter who led a revival of history painting in his country in the 1840s. Born in Tournai, Gallait became famous almost overnight with The Abdication of Charles V, and went on to paint solemn scenes from Flemish history alongside portraits of royalty and ordinary families. This collection gathers art prints of his history paintings, portraits and genre scenes.

About Louis Gallait

Louis Gallait was born in Tournai, in what is now Belgium, in 1810. He studied first in his home town under Philippe-Auguste Hennequin, then in Antwerp under Mathieu-Ignace van Brée. He then moved to Paris, where he studied the Old Masters at the Louvre and showed at the Salon.

His breakthrough came in 1841. The Belgian government had commissioned The Abdication of Charles V, a canvas about five by seven metres that took him three years of research. It was shown alongside Édouard de Bièfve's Compromise of Nobles, and the two paintings toured European cities and are credited with shaping the German school of history painting. Official invitations led Gallait to settle in Brussels.

After marrying in Paris in 1844, Gallait made his home in Schaerbeek, on the edge of Brussels. Honours followed through his career, including the Légion d'honneur, the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts and, in 1881, the Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold. He died in Schaerbeek in 1887 and was buried in Tournai.

Style and Subjects

Gallait is counted among the leading Belgian Romantic painters, though he stood between the classical school of François-Joseph Navez and the full Romanticism of Gustaf Wappers. He looked to Rubens, Ribera and Murillo, and his contemporaries admired the realism of his figures, the accuracy of his historical costumes and the balance of his colour. His history paintings aim for dramatic interest and for truth in every detail of setting and dress.

His subjects come mostly from the history of Flanders and Spain's rule over the Low Countries: the abdication of Charles V, the execution of Counts Egmont and Hoorn, the plague in medieval Tournai. Beside these grand scenes he painted genre subjects, such as fishermen's and gypsy families, and portraits executed with flair and distinction.

Famous Works

• The Abdication of Charles V (1841), Musée des Beaux-Arts, Tournai. The emperor hands power to his son Philip II in Brussels in 1555, the painting that made his name.
• Last Honours to Counts Egmont and Hoorn (1851), Musée des Beaux-Arts, Tournai. A solemn tribute to the two beheaded noblemen; Gallait painted several smaller versions, now in Antwerp (KMSKA) and the Brooklyn Museum among others.
• Christ Healing the Blind (1833), Tournai Cathedral. An early religious painting, bought by public subscription for the cathedral of his home town.
• The Fisherman's Family (1848), State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg. A genre scene from everyday life, one of the works that carried his reputation as far as Russia.
• Joanna the Mad (1850s), Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels. Queen Joanna of Castile shown with her husband, Philip the Handsome.
• The Plague in Tournai in 1092 (completed 1882), Musée des Beaux-Arts, Tournai. A huge late canvas on his home town's history, begun in 1853 and finished nearly thirty years later.

Decorating with Gallait Prints

Gallait's history paintings are serious, crowded and full of period costume, so they sit well in a study, a library or a formal dining room, where a large print can be looked at closely. The Abdication of Charles V and Last Honours to Counts Egmont and Hoorn suit a room with dark wood, leather or bookshelves, and make a strong focal point for anyone who enjoys European history.

For living rooms, hallways and quieter spaces, his genre scenes and portraits are easier companions. The Fisherman's Family or one of his portraits works as a single framed print, or grouped with other nineteenth-century Belgian and French paintings for a classic gallery wall. Gallait wall art suits traditional interiors best.

FAQ

What art movement was Louis Gallait part of?

Gallait is counted among the main Belgian Romantic painters and is best known as a history painter. His success in 1841 helped start a revival of history painting in Belgium.

What is Louis Gallait's most famous painting?

The Abdication of Charles V (1841) is his best-known work. Commissioned by the Belgian government, it shows the emperor giving up power to his son Philip II in Brussels in 1555, and it made Gallait famous across Europe.

Where can I see Louis Gallait's original paintings?

The Musée des Beaux-Arts in Tournai, his home town, holds a large group of his paintings. Other works are in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Liège, the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille, the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg and the Brooklyn Museum in New York.

How can you recognize a Gallait painting?

Look for a dramatic moment from Flemish or Spanish history, painted with realism and accurate period costume. His portraits are known for their flair and distinction.

Did Louis Gallait paint portraits?

Yes. Alongside his history paintings he was a distinguished portrait painter, and his portrait and history commissions made him wealthy. His sitters included Princess Charlotte of Belgium, and in the 1870s he painted a series of historical rulers for the Belgian Senate in Brussels.

Related Artists

• Gustaf Wappers — Antwerp Romantic history painter, the leading figure of the school Gallait worked alongside
• Nicaise de Keyser — fellow Belgian Romantic known for large historical scenes
• Henri Leys — Antwerp painter of Flemish historical subjects from the same generation
• Antoine Wiertz — Belgian Romantic painter of grand, dramatic canvases
• Paul Delaroche — French history painter whose lessons Gallait followed in Paris