Maurice Sys (1880-1972) was a student at the National Higher Institute in Antwerp. Maurice Sys later settled in Latem and was inspired by Emile Claus. Afterwards, as a water lover and sailor, he roamed the waters of Belgium, France and the Netherlands with his fishing ship and houseboat 't Nest and (also) painted many harbors and ships.

 

Maurice Sys spent the years of the First World War in the Netherlands. He visited Volendam, at the time a true artists' colony with Hotel Spaander as its central hub, and set up a studio in this seaside city. From there he visited various Zuiderzee ports. In the interwar period he regularly stepped out of the shadows. However, his old friends Gustave De Smet and Frits Van den Berghe attracted more attention as protagonists of Flemish expressionism.

Sys mainly painted the river Leie, fishing boats and harbours, domestic scenes and portraits. His art is characterized by sensitive coloring and technical control. The landscapes of Sys are characterized by sparkling colors and a clear, blonde light. He was influenced by luminism, which emphasized strong lighting effects. He was a master at portraying the reflections of light on water.

Eendjes - RKD

After WWII he settled again in Ghent where he lived as a hermit among his paintings and countless books. In 1969, at the age of 89, he was admitted to the Lousbergsgesticht in Ghent, where he died in 1972.