Emile Claus

Born in 1849 in Sint-Eloois-Vijve, a village along Belgium's Lys river, Emile Claus was the twelfth of thirteen children. Despite his father's initial reluctance for him to pursue art, Claus's passion for drawing was undeniable. He walked three kilometers to the Academy of Waregem for lessons, even earning a gold medal. With the help of composer Peter Benoit, he eventually convinced his father to allow him to study at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts, though he had to fund h…