Drie kinderen spelend met een bok

About this artwork

Gift of E. Lacomblé

Art Historical Context

Eugène Lacomblé’s “Drie kinderen spelend met een bok” captures a lively moment of childhood play in a compact clay sculpture created between 1890 and 1900. Standing just 19 centimeters high, the work shows three children interacting with a goat, its small scale inviting close viewing and emphasizing the intimate, spontaneous nature of the scene. The medium of clay allowed the artist to model soft textures and dynamic poses quickly, preserving a sense of movement and warmth in the figures. As a gift from the artist himself, the piece reflects the personal and generous spirit often found in late-nineteenth-century studio donations to museums. During this period, many sculptors turned to everyday subjects like children and animals to explore naturalism and the joys of ordinary life, moving away from grand historical themes. Lacomblé’s modest yet expressive treatment highlights the tactile qualities of clay, offering viewers a tangible connection to both the artist’s hand and the playful world he depicted.

About the Artist

Eugène Lacomblé · 1828–1905

Eugène Lacomblé (1828–1905) was a versatile Belgian artist who worked primarily as a sculptor but also practiced painting, watercolor, drawing, and etching, embodying the nineteenth-century ideal of the multi-talented artist-craftsman. Born in Brussels and dying in Arnhem, Lacomblé's career spanned the second half of the nineteenth century, a period of significant artistic and social change in Eur...