Fernand Khnopff (1858-1921) : the Master of Enigma

A comprehensive look at an important member of the artistic vanguard of late 19th- and early 20th-century Europe. In this beautifully illustrated book, Michel Draguet, an internationally recognized authority on fin-de-siecle art, offers an enlightening examination of the life and art of Belgian Symbolist painter Fernand Khnopff (1858-1921). Khnopff achieved widespread acclaim during his lifetime for his moody, dreamlike paintings, as well as his numerous commissioned portraits, designs for costumes and sets for the theater and opera, photography, sculpture, book illustrations, and writings. Khnopff was a reclusive personality, and in 1900 he focused his attention on the design and construction of a lavish, secluded home and studio in Brussels, a structure that became deeply entwined with the artist's work and sense of self. Although the house was demolished in 1936, Draguet uses new archival research to reconstruct its spaces and explore the home as emblematic of the artist, guiding the reader through Khnopff's very personal world and analyzing his art in the context of its generative surroundings.