Author Talk with
Patrick Vanden Berghe

Author of Valentin Henneman (1861-1930), artist between Bruges and Bangor

Thursday, April 14th
2:00-4:00 p.m. at Boothbay Harbor Town Hall

Join us in the Boothbay Harbor Town Hall Meeting Room to hear author Patrick Vanden Berghe discuss discuss the life and work of Valentin Henneman, a Belgian-born painter and ice sculptor.

Belgian author Patrick Vanden Berghe is the Head Librarian at the Public Library of Pittem and co-founder the Historical Society of Oostkamp.

About the artist:

Valentin Henneman received his formal training at the art academies of Bruges and Antwerp, where he studied together with Vincent Van Gogh. He settled in Bruges where he became a famous painter of portraits. Among his many subjects were noblemen, politicians, religious people and all who could at that time afford a portrait. Henneman went to France and Italy to enhance his skills. On his many trips he became acquainted with foreign artists like Fritz Thaulow, Ebenezer Hoeck, and Arthur Watson Sparks, among others.

During a stay in Boston, Henneman met Asa G. Randall, a painter and art teacher who was looking to start an art colony along the coast of Maine. In 1906 Randall and Henneman founded the Commonwealth Art Colony in Boothbay Harbor.

One of his students at the colony was Mabel Dealing from Bangor. In 1914, due to the outbreak of World War I, Henneman was forced to stay in the U.S. He married Mabel and they lived in Bangor. Henneman became a famous resident of the city, especially after he started making ice and snow sculptures, which he put up for exhibition in his garden on Main Street.

This event is not sponsored by the municipality of Boothbay Harbor, nor does it necessarily represent the values and opinions of the Board of Selectmen or the community at large.