Early Life and Artistic Education
Born in Antwerp, Belgium, Ferdinand Schirren was the son of a copper worker and a woman originally from Odessa. His journey into the arts began with night classes at a local drawing school before he enrolled as a full-time student at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels. During his studies, he trained under Joseph Stallaert and also studied sculpture with Jean-Baptiste De Keyser. Following his graduation, he worked in the studios of Jef Lambeaux and eventually established his own studio in 1896.
Schirren was an active member of the art association Labeur, where he served as a sculptor. His early career included an experimental children's bust inspired by Pointillism, which met with harsh critical reception. This period of intense criticism led to a period of depression, resulting in the destruction of much of his work in 1903. Following this, he moved to Linkebeek, where he began to focus more heavily on drawing and painting.
Evolution of Style and Later Years
As his career progressed, Schirren became associated with a group known as the Brabant Fauvists. After 1906, his artistic focus shifted toward watercolors. While he held successful individual exhibitions in Brussels, including a major exhibition in 1917, he famously declined an exclusive contract from Galerie Georges Giroux to preserve his artistic freedom. His later years were marked by a transition to using india ink to define the contours of his paintings, particularly in his watercolor works which often featured family themes.
In his later life, Schirren lived in France before returning to Brussels. During World War II, he and his family lived in a villa in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe to avoid detection. He died of a heart attack in the Brussels metropolitan area.
