Fernand Vetcour Belgian, 1908-2001

Fernand Vetcour was a Belgian painter and printmaker, born in Liège in 1908. He studied at the Académie des Beaux-Arts de Liège and began painting in his youth, initially exploring non-figurative work before turning increasingly towards landscape painting. From 1945 to 1973, he taught at the Académie des Beaux-Arts de Liège.

Vetcour became particularly known for his serene landscapes, working from sketches made directly in the countryside and developing them further in his studio. His subjects ranged widely across Europe, from the Ardennes and Wallonia to Provence, Brittany, Spain and Corsica. He painted villages, farms, rivers, woodland and coastal scenes, often using a clear, luminous palette.

His work is characterised by a smooth, carefully controlled technique and a strong sense of light. Snow scenes and winter landscapes feature prominently in his work, alongside Mediterranean views and rural subjects. A landscape of Awans, dated 1946, is held by the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent, which classifies the work within Belgian modernism and expressionism.

Vetcour exhibited in Liège and elsewhere during his career, and his paintings continue to appear on the Belgian and international art market. He died in Liège in 2001.