"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 the expressive potential of etching for literary publications. Fine, controlled lines allow De Groux to suggest both character and atmosphere with economical means, suiting the modest format of a printed volume. Although De Groux is best known for his large-scale paintings of working-class life, his contribution here shows the same sympathy for ordinary people translated into a graphic medium. Published in Brussels, Paris, and Leipzig, the book helped bring Flemish stories to a wider European audience. De Groux’s illustration thus stands as both a literary companion and a quiet testament to the era’s fascination with folk culture and everyday emotion.