Herman Teirlinck

Herman Teirlinck (1879-1967) was a multi-faceted artist and played a prominent role in Flemish cultural life. He was a poet, essayist and playwright, founder of literary magazines, drawer, painter, furniture designer, actor and director.

During his lifetime, Teirlinck was an undisputed king of literature in Flanders. His writing style was initially strongly influenced by the artistic movements of symbolism and impressionism. He was friends with various naturalistic painters and Karel van de Woestijne, the best-known symbolist poet in Flanders.

Teirlinck also became increasingly interested in theatre as the ideal literary form. He wrote many plays and experimented with narrative techniques for involving the public more in the action on stage. He also founded the ‘Nationaal Toneel in Antwerp’, which would later become the famous Studio Herman Teirlinck, an actor’s studio promoting a renewal of theatre education in the Low Countries.

Photo Collection Letterenhuis, Antwerp