Marine painters Flanders
Louis Victor Antonio Artan de Saint-Martin was a Belgian marine painter. His work was influenced by the Barbizon School and the French marine painter Eugène Boudin. A convinced realist, he confined himself to the familiar North Sea, which he studied every day. He was fascinated by dramatic effects and exceptional atmospheric conditions. Just as in the paintings of the Tervuren school, his painting, created by the use of large quantities of pigment applied in copious layers or large masses skilfully distributed and then worked with a trowel, gives the work an appearance of breadth and immediacy.
Saint-Martin was one of the sixteen co-founders of the Société Libre des Beaux-Arts, an association opposed to the stylistic hegemony of the academies and salons. After 1880 he worked in a more impressionist style, and in 1881 he became a Chevalier de l'Ordre de Léopold. Two years later, the artist was awarded a gold medal at the International Colonial and Export Exhibition in Amsterdam.
Bonaventura Peeters the Elder was a prominent Flemish painter, draughtsman, and etcher specializing in marine art during the 17th century. His extensive body of work encompassed marine battles, storms at sea, shipwrecks, and views of ships in rivers and harbours.
Peeters displayed a keen understanding of ships, capturing their intricate details. His earlier works exhibited tonal landscapes influenced by Dutch painting, while later pieces reflected vibrant colors inspired by Italian classicism. He skillfully depicted dramatic shipwrecks, serene ports, and intricate portrayals of ships. Many of his paintings depicted actual locations along the North Sea and the river Scheldt, while others showcased imagined scenes of far-away Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ports. Peeters also collaborated with family members and fellow artists, and his drawings and engravings were included in notable publications like Blaeu's Atlas Maior.