A Life in Shadows and Light Born in Comines on 25 August 1825, Charles de Groux lived a life that moved between the borders of France and Belgium. Though he was a French national, his heart and his career belonged to Belgium, where his family settled in Brussels in 1833. He was one of ten children, born into a family led by a ribbon manufacturer. This early environment, far from the lofty halls of high society, likely shaped the way h…
Scroll through Charles de Groux's working life — artwork by artwork, chapter by chapter — from the earliest dated work to the last. Each thumbnail is pinned at its exact year on the gold axis.
The ribbon is divided into shaded bands, one per career chapter. Each chapter groups Charles de Groux's works by their historical period — early training, mature practice, final years.
Every thumbnail is pinned at its precise creation year. A thin gold thread drops from the image to its exact point on the axis. Larger frames mark the artist's masterpieces by rank.
The gradient bar beneath the axis shifts colour as the dominant art movement changes over time — from the warm golds of the early period through the deeper tones of maturity. It fills progressively as you scroll.