He was born on the 9th of August in a suburb of Brussels. His father was a gardener. The boy, who showed art skills, became a student of decorator Carl Albert.
1845 - 1921
A Belgian artist, illustrator and graphic artist.
His father was a gardener. His son, who showed art skills, became a student of decorator Carl Albert.
Xavier Mellery is not as well known as his famous student Fernand Khnopff; his creative legacy is small; however, he is rightly considered one of the founders of Belgian Symbolism, who made a huge contribution to its development. The works of Mellery are distinguished by their monumentality, although they are small in size and have a deep allegorical content. The artist created a large number of outstanding graphic works and was known as a talented illustrator. He was also a member of the famous Belgian “20” (Les XX) – an association of artists that promoted modernist art and contributed to the formation of many talented artists of the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Key ideas:
– Canvases of Xavier Mellery are distinguished by a deep symbolism and allegorical images. Impressed by the monumental frescoes of Puvis de Chavannes and the works of Renaissance masters, the artist created a project of murals of the largest public buildings in Brussels. Unfortunately, his plan was not implemented and Mellery took up easel painting and embodied his ideas in canvases. Allegorical paintings, made on a solid basis, often with the use of gold leaf, concern such global themes as death and immortality, the flow of time and the secrets of the human soul.
– Looking at the philosophical canvases of the Belgian painter, you unwittingly reflect on the meaning of being and the incomprehensibility of the universe. The unusual combination of realistic images in a classic manner and fabulous, fantastic plots are a kind of “calling card” of the author. Many papers contain a text that explains their content.
– The artist belonged to the type of people who prefer silence and loneliness. The feeling of emptiness, which he called the “silent soul of things”, is felt in his chamber paintings depicting interiors. Empty stairs, doors and rooms give a chance to stay alone with yourself and completely plunge into your own inner world. A vivid example of such a work is the Kitchen Interior, created in 1890.
– In general, Mellery’s works express the aesthetics of the end of the century, when the mystical and mysterious were central in art, anticipating the emergence of new art movements of the next century.
1845
1871
1875
1878 - 1879
1885
1887
1890
1892
1921
He was born on the 9th of August in a suburb of Brussels. His father was a gardener. The boy, who showed art skills, became a student of decorator Carl Albert.
Having won the main prize at an art competition, he went to Italy, where he studied the works of Renaissance masters. The artist visited many cities, including Venice and Rome.
Returned from a long trip to Belgium, where he lived in his parents’ house. Three years later, the artist undertook a new trip to Italy.
He lived on the island of Marken, where he arrived at the invitation of Charles de Coster. Mellery studied local traditions and created several portraits of the inhabitants of the island. At the same time, he worked on illustrations for the works of de Coster.
Works of the artist were shown at the exhibition of the group Les XX. Mellery became a member of the association.
He extensively traveled around Germany, the Czech Republic and Switzerland intending to learn murals and wall paintings, as well as works by famous artists.
Having failed with the project of painting some buildings in Brussels, the artist created a series of intimate works, which he called “The Soul of Things”.
Together with his fellow Symbolists, he organized the art group “Circle of Pure Art”.
Xavier Melleri died on the 4th of February in 1921 in Brussels.