Oriental Street Scene

Henri Joseph Pauwels (1903–1983) was a Belgian painter, born in Haasdonk and deceased in Beveren. His work is characterized by a poetic atmosphere, a luminous palette, and an optimistic spirit, executed in a style that combines post-Impressionist and Impressionist influences. Pauwels developed a loose, expressive brushwork, paired with a virtuously controlled handling of form, giving his scenes a harmonious balance between spontaneity and composition.

He devoted himself primarily to landscapes and rural scenes with farmsteads, floral still lifes, seascapes, interiors, and especially views of Antwerp’s harbour, often animated with cargo ships and lively quay-side activity. His paintings radiate light and movement, and their impressionistic touch conveys a calm, lyrical quality. His Orientalist subjects, when present, are treated with similarly broad brushwork, enriched spatial depth, and sensitively rendered figures that integrate harmoniously into the overall composition.

Pauwels received academic training in Paris and continued his studies in private studios in Antwerp, where he engaged with the techniques and theories of the French Impressionists. His participation in exhibitions in Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam suggests that he spent periods abroad during his career, although there are no documented records of extended travels beyond these cities.

He generally signed his works “H. J. Pauwels”,also in capital letters, though he is occasionally listed under his full name, Henri Joseph Pauwels, in catalogues. His paintings sometimes appear under the variant Henri Jules Pauwels.

The artist is referenced in Wim & Greet Pas’s Biografisch Lexicon van de Belgische Beeldende Kunstenaars, in Arto’s Two Centuries of Signatures of Belgian Artists, and in Paul Piron’s authoritative reference work The Belgian Visual Artists from the 19th to the 21st Century.