Around Antwerpen School of Print Making (II)

Edward Pellens

(1872-1947)

Belgian wood engraver, printmaker, illustrator, stamp designer, ex libris and bookcover designer.

Teacher and professor at he Royal Academy of Antwerp 

In Antwerp Edward Pellens ran a xylographic studio (atelier) in the Royal Academy voor Schone Kunsten and in 1906 was appointed head of this Instition after the decease of his predecessor (aged 86 !), wood engraver Edward Vermorcken (1820-1906). He was to remain in function for over 25 years until 1933. Antwerpen Royal Academy was founded in 1664. After Rome, Paris and Florence the oldest Academy in the Old World. In 1886 it was extended with the National Hoger Instituut voor Schone Kunsten, a postdoc where promising students stayed for a number of years sometimes even (the most talented) with a scholarship (stipendium) from the Belgian State.

E.Pellens,  woodcut
SS Mercator in Antwerp harbour.

Many, most if not all serious XXth century wood engraving and cutting printmakers and graphic illustrators (outside Brittain) of name were trained in the Atelier Pellens.  Pellens becoming the father of XXth century wood-using printmakers. Most probably Pellens had been a student of Vermorcken thus continuing a long line of classical and traditional training and artistic influences.

Edouard Vermorcken: wood engraving, St. Johns Cathedral, den Bosch 

Pellens was the pivotal figure in the changing of traditional wood engraving (illustrational art) into modern print making in Belgium. His influence probably stretching from Paris to Amsterdam. In Paris at the time worked August Lepère (1849-1918), (*see below) , the starting point and Godfather of all Modern Printmakers, world famous even during his life and way ahead of his time. Pellens, after his appointment, spreading the Modern Printmaking gospel into the Low-Lands and England.

E. Pellens, postage stamp: wood engravings

Most of the later important printmakers of the XXth century  were technically trained in his studio. Frans Masereel, Henri van Straten, Joris van der Minne, Josef Cantré, John Buckland-Wright and many, many others. 

Among them also: Emil Verpilleux and Henri Wils. These two printmakers were the starting point of this (web) investigation. The most brilliant of Modern Printmakers and in 1913 already very much Halelujahed for his atmospheric color woodblock prints Emil Verpilleux (1888-1964) and the least known of them: modest Henri Wils (1892-1967). They could (will) have met, been in the same class room with Master Pellens.

Both will have their own posting following. Verpilleux, going his own unique colorful way as early as 1910 and Wils stepping stylish in the footsteps of his teacher E. Pellens never to create anything else but decorational, sellable topographic prints of Dutch cities. But also bare in mind the circumstances: he fled WW1, managed as an artist through the Big Depression and met and lived through yet another war.

I’m convinced Frank Brangwyn (1867-1956) and Yoshihiro Urushibara (1889-1953) did make their acquaintance with Pellens, as did a mysterious, not mentioned by name certain "Canadian printmaker". Maybe Emil Orlik (1860-1911) payed a visit when in Belgium. But I couldn’t find any written account or proof. Urushibara arrived in London in 1910 and made several trips to the mainland. In his Bruges prints there are elements of surprise and similarities.

It is very annoying, although mentioned in biographies of dozens of modern printmakers there’s hardly any work by Edward  Pellens to be found on the www. A series of postcards for the Red Star Line (Antwerp-New York) giving some idea of his skills. But I had to dig deep finding them. 

As a classical wood engraver Pellens will have undoubtedly passed on his knowledge and will have trained basic and classic engraving and more modern cutting,  and combining, techniques onto all of his students. 

The opening picture of "SS Mercator", however proving he was quite capable of creating an “atmospheric” and Modern Print too. Using minimal color and just three blocks. What a difference with the other print in the classic engraving technique also showing “SS Mercator” in Antwerp harbour. These prints dating after 1932, because she was build and launched (in England) that year. It's hard to believe they are made by the same artist.

Besides the woodcuts for the postcard series (of which I have never seen a bigger or original print) Pellens designed chocolate posters (were have I seen these color combinations used in the background ?), ex-libris, postage stamps, and sheet music covers (above).  

 Edward Pellens: Antwerp and the Schelde river

Auguste Lepère: Paris and the Seine river

His view of Antwerpen maybe based on a great, heroic, chilling and atmospheric 1890 print by August Lepère, “Paris sous la neige, vue du haut du Saint Gervais” (Paris, in snow as seen from the hights of the church Saint Gervais on the banks of the Seine). 

It is in the more topographical style of Pellens and choosing also a monochrome approach using just 3 or 4 blocks, Antwerp born Henri Wils continued. 

Henri Wils, Zuidblaak, Rotterdam

Seaking refuge, with 100.000's of others in 1914 when Antwerp was overrun by German troups, being interned in the neutral Netherlands, married and making a living from his printmaking skills, taught by Pellens, and his enterprise in Rotterdam. 

In this context under preparation and to follow soon:

Auguste Lepère, Godfather of Modern Printmakers.

Emile Verpilleux, King of Modern Printmakers, a student at Studio Pellens.

Henri Wils, just another printmaker from Studio Pellens.