Frans Van Kuyck

He came from a family of artists. His father was the painter, Louis Van Kuyck. His grandfather was also a painter, and his son was the architect, Walter Van Kuyck (1876-1934). He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and his first well-known work was the official poster for the Exposition Universelle d'Anvers (1885).

Later, as a teacher at the Academy, he became involved in the cultural and political life of Antwerp. In 1888, he became a provincieraadslid (county councilor) and, from 1891, served as an Alderman of Fine Arts on the Antwerp City Council. He also sat on the boards of several museums, including what is now the Plantin-Moretus Museum, and was chairman of the "Koninklijk Kunstverbond Antwerpen" (Cercle Royal Artistique).

During his time in office, the Vlaamse Opera Company was officially established and monuments were erected for Peter Benoit, Hendrik Conscience and Jan Van Rijswijck. On his initiative, the city acquired Schoonselhof cemetery[1] and created the Nachtegalen Park. He was also the driving force behind the purchase and restoration of the "Vleeshuis" (a Medieval Guild Hall). In addition, he oversaw the beautification and expansion of the Leysstraat in 1898.

In the Summer of 1913, he wrote a pamphlet, De Dag der moeders (Mother's Day) and formed the first committee to promote its establishment as an official holiday.

• Georges Eekhoud, Kermesses. Illustré de dix compositions de Frans Van Kuyck, H. Kistemaeckers (1884)
• Rosalie and Virginie Loveling, Gedichten (stories, with illustrations by Van Kuyck), Ghent (1889)
• Max Rooses, Oud-Antwerpen, Watercolor paintings and drawings by F. Van Kuyck. Exhibition catalog, La Librairie Neerlandaise (1903).
• Frans Van Kuyck and F. Jos Van den Branden, Hendrik Conscience 1812-1912, J.-E. Buschmann (1912)

• 
  Kintting Girl
• 
  Children in Front of the Cottage
• 
  The Harvest
• 
  Sharpening the Scythe

• Huldebetoon aan Frans van Kuyck, 20 October 1912, (A Tribute to Frans Van Kuyck), J.-E. Buschmann (1913)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frans Van Kuyck.

• Arcadja Auctions: More works by Van Kuyck
• Antwerp Heritage Volunteer Group: Archived 2014-08-22 at the Wayback Machine Drawings by Frans Van Kuyck