Henri Paul Émile Victor Cassiers, also known as Henry and Hendrick Cassiers (Antwerp, 11 August 1858 - Ixelles - Elsene, 27 February 1944) was a Belgian Art Nouveau artist and illustrator.

Red Star Line Poster

Early life

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Born in Antwerp in 1858, Cassiers was the son of Paul Cassiers and Victoire Pelgrims. He studied architecture in Brussels with Paul Saintenoy for six years.[1] He also took courses at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels and other schools.[2] Largely self-taught as a painter in watercolours, he became a skilful draughtsman. In 1881, he had his first exhibition of paintings, which went well, and gave up on architecture.[1]

At about this time, Cassiers went to live in the fishing town of Knokke, where there was a large artist colony which included Alfred Verwee, Louis Artan, Flori van Acker, Franz Courtens, and later Alfred Bastien and Firmin Baes.

Career

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After 1881, Cassiers continued to exhibit and to travel. He had successful exhibitions in Brittany, England, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and other countries.[1] He established his focus on commercial illustration, and his work was featured in well-known newspapers, magazines, hotels, restaurants, and resorts.[2]

 
Dutch sailing village

He designed many posters, notably for the Red Star Line, a shipping company of Antwerp, his main client. For some twenty-five years he designed its posters, postcards, and menus.[3]

Some of his most notable work was for Le Patriot Illustré, and his posters include several for the seaside town of De Haan. He also designed postcards.[2]

Cassiers has been called the most outstanding Flemish poster artist of the period.[4]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Jules du Jardin, L’art flamand, vol VI, “Les artistes contemporains” (Brussels, Arthur Boite), p. 131
  2. ^ a b c Henri Cassiers, invaluable.com, accessed 9 January 2023
  3. ^ Rare & Important Travel Posters, swanngalleries.com, accessed 9 January 2023
  4. ^ Tony Fusco, Posters: Identification and Price Guide (1994), p. 67

Further reading

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  • Henri Cassiers 1858–1944 (Antwerp: Uitgeverij Pandora, 1994)
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