Évariste Carpentier (Belgian, 1845–1922)
Hide and Seek
Oil on canvas
23 × 29 in.
Signed lower left.
This intimate rural scene by Évariste Carpentier captures a quiet moment of rest and companionship amid the labors of harvest. Children pause from gathering sheaves while a large dog lies protectively nearby, its calm presence echoing the stillness of the surrounding field. Carpentier’s sensitive treatment of light and texture—visible in the glistening stalks of grain and the earthy tones of the landscape—reveals both his technical mastery and his deep empathy for the rhythms of peasant life. The low horizon and subdued palette lend the composition a contemplative mood, balancing realism with quiet lyricism.
A native of Kuurne, Belgium, Carpentier studied at the Antwerp Academy and was initially recognized for his historical and religious paintings. After a transformative period in France, where he absorbed the naturalism of Jules Bastien-Lepage and the plein-air ideals of the Barbizon School, Carpentier turned toward scenes of rural labor and domestic simplicity. His later work, characterized by looser brushwork and luminous color, aligned him with Belgian Impressionism. Untitled (Children and Dog in Field) exemplifies the transitional moment in his career when he merged academic precision with the poetic sensitivity that came to define his mature style.
