Edward Frederik Verhas, The Last Summer, 2012, Oil Painting on Canvas

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Description

Xl oil on canvas

edward frederik verhas (dendermonde, 1929–2019)

title
the last summer

date
2012

technique
oil on canvas

dimensions
… Read more Xl oil on canvas

edward frederik verhas (dendermonde, 1929–2019)

title
the last summer

date
2012

technique
oil on canvas

dimensions
120 × 150 cm

signature
signed on the canvas (bottom left) and on the stretcher at the back.

⸻



monumental figurative painting depicting a picnic in the sint-onolfspolder near dendermonde.

in the background, the skyline of dendermonde appears with the church towers as silhouettes against a dramatic evening sky; e. Verhas drew his inspiration for this from an old city print of dendermonde (see last photo).

in the foreground are the artist himself, his wife, and two female friends.

on the right stands the artist's characteristic red nsu. It is remarkable that the depicted license plate corresponds to the actual license plate of edward verhas’s car.

above the license plate, a fictional car brand was applied on which the words verhas ‘sahrev’ can be read in mirror writing.

this forms a subtle reference to the artist’s family name.

⸻

iconography

the work possesses an exceptional autobiographical character.

virtually every element refers to the personal life of edward verhas.

* his own car
* his own license plate
* the region where he lived
* dendermonde (belgium) as his lifelong home
* the artist himself
* his wife
* women friends
* the title *the last summer*

according to tradition, the artist himself stated that this depicted the last time he spent with his wife before her death.

as a result, the painting takes on the character of a memorial image rather than a traditional landscape painting. ⸻

style

the work belongs to the late period (at the age of 83) of edward verhas.

edward verhas developed his own distinctive style in his abstract and figurative oil paintings, in which magical symbolism predominates (the skyline, the trees, the figures, and the car function simultaneously as memory and as a symbol). Works by his hand are held in private collections in belgium, the netherlands, germany, and scotland. Listed in *de belgische beeldende kunstenaars uit de 19de en 20ste eeuw* by paul piron. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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