Luxembourg's most famous painters

Most of you will be familiar with the big names such as Van Gogh, Picasso or Monet but you may have heard little about our local artists who have contributed their fair share to the art world. To fill this gap we'll present you a couple of Luxembourg's best-known painters from the 19th and 20thcentury.

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Jean-Baptiste Fresez

Born in France in 1800, Fresez moved to Luxembourg at the age of two and is now regarded as one of the country’s most significant 19th-century painters.

After studying at a Luxembourgish drawing school, he continued his education at the prestigious ‘Académie des Beaux-Arts’ in Brussels, where he trained as an art teacher and later taught at the Athenée.

Today, Fresez is best known for his stunning landscape paintings of Luxembourg City and his portraits of the grand-ducal family. His work, celebrated during his lifetime for its meticulous detail, continues to captivate viewers. Some of his pieces can be seen at the National Museum of History and Art.

Pierre Brandebourg 

Born in Luxembourg City in 1824, Brandebourg was a student of Jean-Baptiste Fresez. After his studies in Luxembourg, he furthered his art education across Europe.

Upon returning to Luxembourg, he initially focused on landscape painting and depictions of the steel industry. While his talent was acknowledged, he struggled to make a living solely from art and turned to photography, a relatively new medium at the time.

He eventually opened Luxembourg’s first photographic studio, which gained growing popularity. Some of his works can be viewed at the Photothèque, though most remain in private collections.

Frantz Seimetz

Seimetz, born in Grevenmacher in 1858, was the first Luxembourgish artist to adopt an impressionistic style.

He began painting in his teens, quickly gaining recognition from an industrialist who financed his studies abroad. Upon returning to Luxembourg, he focused on landscapes and portraits, with his style shifting between darker and lighter tones.

A passionate plein air painter, Seimetz was known for his eccentric, optimistic personality and his extensive travels, which included visits to the US, Canada, and Mexico. These journeys inspired his work, often adding an exotic flair to his pieces. In his later years, he turned to writing.

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Sosthène Weis

Born in Ettelbruck in 1872, Weis studied civil engineering in Germany before embarking on a career as an architect. He worked in Munich and Luxembourg, with notable projects such as the ARBED and post-office buildings in Luxembourg City.

Weis’s passion for art was evident from childhood, with a particular interest in watercolours. He often revisited the same locations, capturing the changing light in his vibrant paintings. It is estimated that he created around 5,000 works, most of which depict Luxembourg City.

Sosthène Weis had a more impressionist style / © Public domain

Dominique Lang 

Born in Dudelange in 1874, Dominique began his studies at the Athenée before pursuing art in Antwerp. While working as a drawing teacher, he became Luxembourg’s most renowned impressionistic painter.

Dominique’s journey to impressionism was striking. He initially embraced a classical pre-Raphaelite style, creating works like the fresco in the Church of Junglinster, still visible today. Over time, his style evolved, and he adopted the bright colours characteristic of impressionists like Monet.

Focused primarily on tranquil rural scenes, Dominique struggled to make a living from his art and continued teaching. He won the Prix Grand-Duc Adolphe, Luxembourg's top art prize, twice. Some of his works are now housed in the National Museum of History and Art.

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Joseph Kutter

Born in 1894, Kutter is one of Luxembourg’s most celebrated artists. He aspired to be a painter from a young age and studied in Munich.

Kutter’s expressionistic style is characterised by dark colours, and he frequently exhibited his works in international salons, though his career was interrupted by WWII and illness.

While he painted a wide range of subjects, from landscapes to portraits, he is best known for his clown head paintings. These works depict the traditionally cheerful clown figure against dark backgrounds with a melancholic expression, creating an unsettling effect. A selection of his paintings is held in the National Museum of History and Art.

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Gust Graas

Born in Esch in 1924, Graas took a unique path compared to many other painters. Instead of studying art, he pursued law in Paris after being conscripted into the German forces during WWII. While in Paris, he encountered impressionist painters, who likely influenced his later work.

Upon returning to Luxembourg, Graas worked as a lawyer and later for the RTL Group, all while continuing to paint. After retiring and relocating to Spain, he dedicated himself to abstract art. Graas achieved success in both his professional and artistic careers, holding exhibitions abroad. He passed away in early 2020.

This list, though not exhaustive, offers a glimpse into Luxembourg’s vibrant art scene and may inspire you to explore further.

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