Skip to main content

Louis Clesse Paintings

Belgian, 1889-1961
Louis Liévin Théophile Clesse (Ixelles, Brussels, 15 June 1889 – 9 February 1961) was a Belgian Post-Impressionist and Realist painter, aquarellist, and etcher, renowned for his atmospheric landscapes, maritime scenes, still lifes, and portraits. His work is marked by a lyrical use of light and colour, expressive brushwork, and a deep sensitivity to mood and place. Born into a modest family in Ixelles, he was the youngest of eight children. His father, François Auguste Clesse, was an upholsterer, and his mother, Augustine Josèphe Leduc, maintained a close-knit household. Louis was introduced to art at an early age by his older brother Theo, who worked as chief assistant in the decorative painting studio of Paul Hermanus. Clesse studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ixelles, where he excelled and received numerous awards, including the prestigious government medal in 1904. He went on to work for the Hermanus firm, producing decorative panels and copies of old masters—an experience that sharpened his technical skills and observational eye. While initially rooted in realism, Clesse’s exposure to artists such as Alfred Bastien and Emile Claus led him toward a more expressive, emotional style. His goal was not to reproduce nature, but to convey its essence through bold colour harmonies and textured, painterly compositions. He debuted at the Brussels Triennial Salon in 1907 and regularly exhibited throughout Belgium (Antwerp, Liège, Charleroi, Mons) and abroad (Barcelona, Nice). He was an active participant in the Belgian art scene, contributing to journals like Revue de l’Art Belge and Savoir et Beauté. Clesse’s favourite subjects included the woodlands and ponds of Auderghem—where he summered and became an honorary citizen in 1959—the Zenne Valley, the Sonian Forest, and the coastal landscapes of West Flanders, particularly around Ostend, Nieuwpoort, and Zeebrugge. Between 1928 and 1932, he also painted extensively along the northern French coast from Petit-Fort-Philippe. In the 1930s, he established a studio in Oudenburg, which became a base for his explorations of the Flemish polders and Bruges. His style is often described as a personal blend of Realism and Impressionism, deeply inspired by Franz Courtens, Isidore Verheyden, and especially Emile Claus. Clesse’s plein-air approach—even on large canvases—was often refined in the studio, lending his works both spontaneity and polish. In addition to landscapes and seascapes, he painted still lifes with game and poultry—drawing from his love of hunting—as well as portraits and figure studies. His art reflects a deep connection to nature and an appreciation for seasonal light. Clesse was a longtime member of the Cercle Artistique et Littéraire (Cercle Gaulois), served on the acquisition committee of the Ixelles Museum, and co-founded the Cercle d’Art d’Ixelles. In 1942, an avenue in Auderghem was named in his honour during his lifetime. He died in Ixelles in 1961. His grave is adorned with a sculpted portrait by René Cliquet. Today, his work is found in numerous public and private collections in Belgium and worldwide.
to
1
3
2
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
6
2
1
4
2
6
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
6
6
3
2
2
6
787
754
753
663
6
5
1
Artist: Louis Clesse
Antique Post-Impressionist River Landscape Painting
Antique Post-Impressionist River Landscape Painting

Antique Post-Impressionist River Landscape Painting

By Louis Clesse

Located in St. Albans, GB

Louis Clesse 1907, Belgian Signed oil painting on panel Picture Size:24 x 36 inch (61 x 91 cm) Frame Size: 31 x 43 inch (79 x 99 cm) Louis Clesse was a Belgian who was born and die...

Category

20th Century Post-Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil

Along the Path, Oudenburg' by Louis Clesse (1889 – Brussels – 1961)
Along the Path, Oudenburg' by Louis Clesse (1889 – Brussels – 1961)

Along the Path, Oudenburg' by Louis Clesse (1889 – Brussels – 1961)

By Louis Clesse

Located in Knokke, BE

Clesse Louis 1889 – Brussels – 1961 Belgian Painter 'Along the Path, Oudenburg' Signature: signed lower right and dated 1943 'Louis Clesse 1943' Medium: oil on panel Dimensions: im...

Category

Mid-20th Century Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

“Port of Ostend, Belgium”
“Port of Ostend, Belgium”

“Port of Ostend, Belgium”

By Louis Clesse

Located in Southampton, NY

Beautiful oil on mahogany panel painting of the bustling Port of Ostend in Belgium by Louis Clesse. Signed lower right and dated 1942. Titled verso and signed again by the artist ve...

Category

1940s Post-Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Trompe L’Oeil with a Two Partridges, Louis Clesse, Brussels 1889 – 1961, Belgian
Trompe L’Oeil with a Two Partridges, Louis Clesse, Brussels 1889 – 1961, Belgian

Trompe L’Oeil with a Two Partridges, Louis Clesse, Brussels 1889 – 1961, Belgian

By Louis Clesse

Located in Knokke, BE

Trompe L’Oeil with a Two Partridges Clesse Louis Brussels 1889 – 1961 Belgian Painter Signature: Signed bottom right Medium: Oil on panel Dimensions: Image size 50,50 x 40 cm, frame size 64 x 53,50 cm Biography: Clesse Louis Liévin Théophile was born on June 15, 1889 in Ixelles (Brussels). He was a Belgian Post-Impressionist and Realist painter of landscapes, seascapes, still lifes and portraits. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels. He received advice and encouragement from master teachers and artists Alfred Bastien...

Category

Early 20th Century Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Wintertime forest landscape oil painting on canvas by Louis Clesse 20Th c.
Wintertime forest landscape oil painting on canvas by Louis Clesse 20Th c.

Wintertime forest landscape oil painting on canvas by Louis Clesse 20Th c.

By Louis Clesse

Located in Gavere, BE

"Wintertime forest landscape" oil painting on canvas by Louis Clesse 20Th c. Wonderfull oil on canvas by Louis Clesse , Belgian School (1889 -1961 ). Clesse was a Belgian figurative...

Category

1920s Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Related Items
Barbizon Fontainebleau region Impressionist French summer landscape with figure
Barbizon Fontainebleau region Impressionist French summer landscape with figure

Barbizon Fontainebleau region Impressionist French summer landscape with figure

Located in Norwich, GB

A wonderful view of the heartbreakingly beautiful Fontainebleau/Barbizon region, which was home to some of the greatest painters of the 19th and early 20th Century. The particular spot presented here is the river Loing at Montigny-sur-Loing, where Cezanne and Sisley loved to paint. The village is just a short walk away from Grez-sur-Loing, where John Singer Sargent, Francis Brooks Chadwick, Robert Vonnoh, Edward Simmons...

Category

Early 1900s Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Family Meeting, " Oil Painting
"Family Meeting, " Oil Painting

"Family Meeting, " Oil Painting

By Clyde Steadman

Located in Denver, CO

Clyde Steadman's "Family Meeting" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts four rubber ducks gathered together

Category

2010s American Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil

Grazing Cows - Farm Landscape
Grazing Cows - Farm Landscape

J.W. FordGrazing Cows - Farm Landscape

$465

H 16 in W 20 in D 1 in

Grazing Cows - Farm Landscape

Located in Soquel, CA

Grazing cows on the California Big Sur coast, a farm landscape by J.W Ford (American, 20th Century). Signed "J.W Ford" lower right. Unframed. Image size, 16"H x...

Category

1970s American Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Sea and Sky, Bahamas" Seascape Impressionist Plein Air Oil Painting, 24x10.25in
"Sea and Sky, Bahamas" Seascape Impressionist Plein Air Oil Painting, 24x10.25in

"Sea and Sky, Bahamas" Seascape Impressionist Plein Air Oil Painting, 24x10.25in

By Nelson H. White

Located in Sag Harbor, NY

An oil painting by American Impressionist painter, Nelson H. White (b. 1932, Connecticut) celebrating the colors of the the ocean and the sky above it, as seen in Nassau, The Bahamas...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil, Linen, Panel

"Afternoon Tea by the Shore" Post-Impressionistic Landscape Oil Painting Framed
"Afternoon Tea by the Shore" Post-Impressionistic Landscape Oil Painting Framed

"Afternoon Tea by the Shore" Post-Impressionistic Landscape Oil Painting Framed

By Henri Joseph Pauwels

Located in New York, NY

This piece is a pertinent example of Belgian artist Henri Joseph Pauwels ' sought-after works, depicting a view of a table set for tea in the garden by the shore on a serene summer a...

Category

Early 20th Century Post-Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Rade de Saint-Milo - Post Impressionist Seascape Oil Painting by Gustave Cariot
Rade de Saint-Milo - Post Impressionist Seascape Oil Painting by Gustave Cariot

Rade de Saint-Milo - Post Impressionist Seascape Oil Painting by Gustave Cariot

By Gustave Camille Gaston Cariot

Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire

Signed and dated oil on panel seascape by French post impressionist painter Gustave Cariot. The work depicts a view of sail boats and steam boats out at sea in the bay of Saint-Malo ...

Category

1910s Post-Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

French school Summer in Normandy oil painting Signed
French school Summer in Normandy oil painting Signed

French school Summer in Normandy oil painting Signed

Located in Zofingen, AG

➡️ Summer in Normandy⬅️ ⏩It is signed H D'Avesnes⏪ ⭐Medium:⭐ Oil on wood / isorel ⭐Technique: ⭐Impasto painting with expressive brushwork. ⭐Size:⭐37x48cm / 14.6x18.9 inch with ...

Category

1940s Post-Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Gesso, Oil, Stretcher Bars, Wood Panel

Sailing Vessels at Sea, Dutch Seascape, Marine Painting, 19th Century, Signed
Sailing Vessels at Sea, Dutch Seascape, Marine Painting, 19th Century, Signed

Sailing Vessels at Sea, Dutch Seascape, Marine Painting, 19th Century, Signed

By Hendrik Willem Mesdag

Located in Wiscasset, ME

Marine painter Hendrik Willem Mesdag was born in Groningen in 1831. The son of a banker, he worked at his father's stock brokerage firm until 1866, when his wife Sientje's inheritanc...

Category

Late 19th Century Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

"Gardasee", Sunset over Garda Lake with Mountains and Moon Italy
"Gardasee", Sunset over Garda Lake with Mountains and Moon Italy

"Gardasee", Sunset over Garda Lake with Mountains and Moon Italy

Located in Genève, GE

Dimensions with frame: 37 x 52,5 x 3 cm. Signed "R. Fuchs" in the lower right corner. Sunset over Garda Lake with Mountains and Moon Italy A serene and atmospheric landscape captur...

Category

Late 19th Century Post-Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

"La Madeleine" Post-Impressionist Parisian Street Scene Oil Painting Framed
"La Madeleine" Post-Impressionist Parisian Street Scene Oil Painting Framed

"La Madeleine" Post-Impressionist Parisian Street Scene Oil Painting Framed

By Helen Enoch Gleiforst

Located in New York, NY

A beautiful oil on panel painting by American artist Helen Enoch Gleiforst. She was a painter known for her colorful cityscapes depicting the times of her generation. This painting i...

Category

Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Alpine Glow above Caples Lake
Alpine Glow above Caples Lake

Jean LeGassickAlpine Glow above Caples Lake, 2026

$1,900

H 11.75 in W 13.75 in D 1.5 in

Alpine Glow above Caples Lake

By Jean LeGassick

Located in Pasadena, CA

Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist FRAMED: 11.75" x 13.75" x 1.5" UNFRAMED: 8" x 10" SIGNED: Lower Left Artist Statement "A plein-air painting done over the course ...

Category

2010s Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Panel

Previously Available Items
'Along the Path, Oudenburg' by Louis Clesse (1889 – Brussels – 1961)
'Along the Path, Oudenburg' by Louis Clesse (1889 – Brussels – 1961)

'Along the Path, Oudenburg' by Louis Clesse (1889 – Brussels – 1961)

By Louis Clesse

Located in Knokke, BE

Louis Clesse 1889 – Brussels – 1961 Belgian Painter 'Along the Path, Oudenburg' Signature: signed lower right 'Louis Clesse' Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: image size 80 x 100 c...

Category

Early 20th Century Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

In January
In January

Louis ClesseIn January

Sold

H 41.34 in W 49.22 in

In January

By Louis Clesse

Located in Gent, VOV

A splendid snowscape by Louis Clesse which can easily bear comparison with the winter landscapes of Emile Claus in terms of atmosphere and appearance. Here...

Category

Early 20th Century Impressionist Louis Clesse Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Louis Clesse paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Louis Clesse paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Louis Clesse in oil paint, paint, panel and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Post-Impressionist style. Not every interior allows for large Louis Clesse paintings, so small editions measuring 26 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Leon Herbo, Mogens Erik Christien Vantore, and Elie Anatole Pavil. Louis Clesse paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $3,800 and tops out at $5,235, while the average work can sell for $4,517.