The Little Writer – L’écrivain

Charles Van Den Eycken, sometimes known by the pseudonym Charles Duchêne, was a well-known Belgian painter specializing in interiors, dogs, and cats. Born in Brussels on 17 April 1859, he came from a family of artists: his grandfather Frans was a decorative painter, and his father, also named Charles, was a successful landscape painter working in the 17th-century Dutch style.

Initially trained by his father, Van Den Eycken later studied under the realist animal painter Joseph Stevens at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Brussels and continued his studies at the Academy of Louvain. While he began his career painting interiors, he soon focused almost exclusively on the depiction of animals, particularly dogs and cats, influenced by Stevens’ dedication to animal subjects.

From 1881 onward, Van Den Eycken exhibited regularly at the Salons of Brussels, Liège, Ghent, and Antwerp, as well as in the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain. He painted several works for Queen Marie-Henriette of Belgium, notably portraits of her dogs. Van Den Eycken was a member of the influential artist group “l’Essor” and received multiple medals throughout his career, including an honourable mention in 1895—a rare distinction for a Belgian artist of his time.

Van Den Eycken’s paintings typically feature domestic animals in richly detailed interior settings, often portraying cats and dogs engaged in various activities with notable charm and realism. He signed his works as Ch. van den Eycken, C. van den Eycken, or occasionally Charles Duchêne. Notably, both “Van Den Eycken” and “Duchêne” translate to “of the oak” in Dutch and French, respectively.

Today, his works are highly sought after and are considered among the finest 19th-century portrayals of cats and dogs. His paintings are held in important private and public collections worldwide, including the museums of Antwerp, Brussels, and Kortrijk. A notable example in the Antwerp Museum is his 1911 oil painting depicting “Cats.”

Van Den Eycken passed away in Brussels on 27 December 1923.

References:

• Netherlands Institute for Art History

• Bénézit, 1999

• Berko, 1981

• Piron, De Belgische Beeldende Kunstenaars uit de 19de en 20ste eeuw, Art in Belgium, p. 1373