Ostend, the northern light and the melancholy of the sea
A port city and iconic seaside resort on the Belgian coast, Ostend is a place of contrasts: the power of the North Sea, the softness of golden sand, and the ever-changing light of Flemish skies.
Since the 19th century, this maritime city has inspired painters fascinated by its endless horizons, lively quays, and an atmosphere that is both joyful and melancholic.
Here, the grey light becomes poetry, and the sea, a mirror of the soul.
Through this collection, Artem Legrand pays tribute to Ostend, as it was glorified by James Ensor, Léon Spilliaert, Constant Permeke, Georges Buysse, Frits Van den Berghe and Anna Boch.
Their works tell the story of the raw and hypnotic beauty of the Belgian coast, between expressionism and symbolism.
Flemish light in your decor
Hanging an Ostend painting means inviting the marine poetry and silvery light of the northern coast into your home. The art prints of Ostend paintings evoke the waves of the North Sea, windswept walks, misty skies, and solitary figures on the beach.
These works blend perfectly with a modern, Scandinavian, bohemian or contemporary interior, bringing calm, depth, and mystery.
A marine scene by Ensor, a dreamlike composition by Spilliaert, or an expressionist painting by Permeke will give your walls a rare emotional intensity.
Ostend painting captures light as a state of mind — between solitude, beauty, and silence.
The great painters of Ostend
James Ensor (1860–1949), a native of Ostend, is one of the most original artists in European painting. He blended surrealism, symbolism, and satire in powerful works where the North Sea and masks merge.
Léon Spilliaert (1881–1946), also born in Ostend, conveyed the solitude and light of the coast in minimalist and introspective compositions of hypnotic intensity.
Constant Permeke (1886–1952), leader of Flemish expressionism, painted the sea and the lives of fishermen with strength and humanity.
Frits Van den Berghe (1883–1939) brought a poetic and symbolic touch to northern painting.
Anna Boch (1848–1936), a figure of Belgian neo-impressionism, depicted the Ostend coast with gentleness and sensitivity.
Finally, Georges Buysse (1864–1939) painted maritime life with realism and tenderness.
Together, they gave Ostend a unique pictorial soul — at once mystical, modern, and deeply human.
A collection for lovers of the sea and northern light
The art prints of Ostend paintings offered by Artem Legrand come from public domain works, reproduced with care to capture the richness of nuances and the subtlety of northern lights.
Each print pays tribute to the sea, solitude, and the timeless beauty of the Belgian shores.
Decorating your walls with an art print of an Ostend painting means inviting the poetry of the North Sea and the luminous melancholy of Flanders into your home.