Herman Richir | Academic painter

Painter of allegorical and mythological scenes, decorative panels but also lithographer under the pseudonym "Hamner", Herman Jean Joseph Richir (1866-1942) was first and foremost a portrait painter appreciated by the high society of the time and to whom we owe in particular several portraits of the Belgian royal family.

Herman Richir was born on November 4th in the Belgian city of Elsene.

First he studied at the Academy of Sint-Joost-ten-Node ltaught by Gustave Biot and Charles Hermans, then he went to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels under the direction of Jean-François Portaels.

He finished second in the Prix de Rome for painting in 1886.

His presence was noticed at the Salons of Paris in 1889 and 1892, as well as at the International Exhibition of Brussels of 1897.

In 1889, at the Ghent Triennial Salon, he won a gold medal for his group The Ward Meulenbergh family, which immediately placed him among the masters of portraiture.

First appointed professor of the drawing course from nature at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels in 1900, Herman Richir then became professor of painting there from 1905-1927.

Academic education had a great influence on many of his students, including two eminent members of the Nervia group, Louis Buisseret and Léon Navez.

While continuing to teach, he sporadically held the post of director within the same institution from 1906 to 1927 (1906-1907, 1910-1911, 1915-1919 [replacing Victor Horta], 1925-1927).

He definitively left his post of director in 1927, and was replaced by Victor Horta.

Herman Richir became a teacher in 1900 for drawing and the first teacher for painting from nature at the Academy of Brussel in 1905 and took several times the directorship at the academy.

He was a full member of the Royal Society of Fine Arts and was also a member of the National Society of Fine Arts in Paris.

He died on March 15, 1942, leaving behind him a considerable work - more than 400 portraits - distributed in many museums, including those of Brussels, Antwerp, Namur, Genk, Lille, Barcelona, Liverpool, Budapest, Sydney, Seattle.

Pittore di scene allegoriche e mitologiche, pannelli decorativi ma anche litografo con lo pseudonimo "Hamner", Herman Jean Joseph Richir (1866-1942) è stato innanzitutto un ritrattista apprezzato dall'alta società dell'epoca ed al quale si devono in particolare diversi ritratti della famiglia reale belga.

Da sempre affascinato dal classicismo tradizionale, Herman Richir glorifica le donne, di cui dipinge le forme equilibrate con colori naturali.

Si lascia sedurre dalla femminilità e ad essa dedica la sua ammirazione fino a sublimarla in scene allegoriche.

La sua presenza fu notata ai Salons di Parigi nel 1889 e nel 1892, così come all'Esposizione Internazionale di Bruxelles del 1897.

Nominato dapprima professore del corso di disegno dal vero all'Accademia reale di belle arti di Bruxelles nel 1900, Herman Richir poi vi divenne professore di pittura dal 1905 al 1927.

La formazione accademica ebbe una grande influenza su molti dei suoi studenti, tra cui due eminenti membri del gruppo Nervia, Louis Buisseret e Léon Navez.

Pur continuando ad insegnare, ricoprì sporadicamente l'incarico di direttore presso la stessa istituzione dal 1906 al 1927 (1906-1907, 1910-1911, 1915-1919 [in sostituzione di Victor Horta], 1925-1927).

Lasciò definitivamente la carica di direttore nel 1927 e fu sostituito da Victor Horta.

Morì il 15 marzo 1942, lasciando dietro di sé un'opera considerevole - più di 400 ritratti - distribuita in numerosi musei, tra cui quelli di Bruxelles, Anversa, Namur, Genk, Lille, Barcellona, Liverpool, Budapest, Sydney, Seattle.