| Description |
Born in Courtrai in 1826, Pratere was firstly a decorative and landscape artist, who moved over to painting animals from 1856 after his visit to Fountainbleau and possibly as a response to the work of Rosa Bonheur, which he must have seen there. His compositions, often carried out in the open air, usually contain horses, donkeys and cows and they are characterized by an impressionistic air. Pratere's subject matter and style was very popular in Britain. Here a humble farmer is depicted at work with his animals, which are seen as noble companions rather than subservient beasts. This was an attitude that had been popularized by Rosa Bonheur. On Pratere's death, his workshop was bequeathed to the town of Courtrai, with the proviso that a museum should be set up in his honour there. An old slaughterhouse was converted into a museum and Pratere's bequest still constitutes the core of the current permanent collections there. He has works in several public collections including Bruges, Brussels, Courtrai and Lille. |
