"As-tu faim?" dit-elle. "Oui," dit-il

About this artwork

Prent uit: Coster, Charles de. Légendes Flamandes. 1e druk. Brussel: Veuve Parent & Fils, Parijs: Michel-Lévy, Leipzig: Ch. Muquardt, 1861, p. 232-233. De prent illustreert het verhaal Smetse Smee.

Art Historical Context

This etching by Belgian artist Charles De Groux captures a poignant moment from the Flemish legend of Smetse Smee, as recounted in Charles de Coster’s 1861 collection *Légendes Flamandes*. The dialogue—“Are you hungry?” she said. “Yes,” he said—hints at the intimate, human-scale drama that unfolds within the larger tale of the resourceful blacksmith. Created as one of the book’s original illustrations for its first edition, the print reflects the 19th-century revival of interest in regional folklore and national identity in Belgium. Measuring just 200 by 131 millimetres, the work demonstrates...