Maurice van Essche
| Maurice Charles Louis van Essche | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 October 1906 Antwerp, Belgium |
| Died | 12 June 1977 Thonon, France |
| Occupation | Artist |
| Spouse(s) | Lucette Josz |
| Children | Ludovic Henri Marie van Essche |
Maurice van Essche (4 October 1906, Antwerp, Belgium – 12 June 1977, Thonon, France) was a major South African artist and art teacher who achieved national and international recognition in his lifetime.
Maurice van Essche was born 1906, in Antwerp, Belgium, the seventh of eleven children, of whom only eight survived infancy. The family was French-speaking despite its Flemish roots; his mother's maiden name was De Ridder. He studied art at the Brussels Academy in 1924 under James Ensor, but halted his studies in 1925 for lack of funding, first working in a stained glass studio, then designing wallpaper – both of which experiences are actively reflected in many of his works. He also worked as a freelance cartoonist, but painted all the while. In 1933 he studied briefly under Henri Matisse in France (see Anecdotes), having met him by chance in an artist's supply shop in Cagnes, France. Thereafter he continued to paint and study full-time thanks to the sponsorship of his elder brother, Joseph Charles, and a group of friends.
His break came in July 1939 when he won a scholarship in a competition organised by the Belgian Government, who commissioned him to undertake a painting expedition to the Belgian Congo. His travels and experiences there influenced him profoundly, and the visions and emotions of that period echoed through his work for the rest of his life. In 1940 his wife Lucette (née Josz, 1908–1997) and son Ludovic (1935 – ) fled German occupation of Belgium and joined him in the Congo. Lucette could not cope with tropical conditions and they moved to the relatively milder climate of the South African Cape rather than return to war-torn Europe.
Early days in South Africa were difficult, and on occasion van Essche traded paintings and drawings for food and other essentials. But he soon became a prominent member of the South African art community, exhibiting locally and later in Europe as well. As an active member of The New Group he contributed strongly to contemporary art in South Africa. He had a solid knowledge of both modern art trends and the history of European painting which he imparted in his role as teacher, a profession he regarded as equally important as creating. He taught at the Technical Art School from 1943 to 1945. In 1948 he founded the Continental School of Art in Cape Town, leaving in 1951 to become a lecturer at the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town. He was appointed Professor of Fine Art in 1962 (see Anecdotes) and his success as a teacher is attested to by the number of his former pupils who have become prominent artists themselves.
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