The Stream near Fosset

Khnopff was already regarded by contemporary critics as the greatest Belgian Symbolist. Landscape had a somewhat subordinate role in his painting, but he often represented the region around Fosset, an estate in the Belgian Ardennes. These landscapes are characterised by the total absence of any human figures, and the artist's idealistic conception of nature clearly prevails on them. Instead of registering momentary impressions, this stretch of forest, painted in 1897, emphasizes the mysterious, insubstantial character of the scenery. In this almost monochrome picture the vibration and translucence of the absolutely dominant green tints create a transcendental atmosphere.