The Drinker

1858–1867

Illustrates books by Charles De Coster

Rops illustrates several books by Charles De Coster, his co-founder of “Uylenspiegel”: “Flemish Legends” (1858), “Brabant Tales” (1861) and “The Legend of Uylenspiegel” (1867).

1860s

Divides the year between Thozée, Namur, Brussels and Paris

In the 1860s Rops travels extensively and divides each year between Thozée Castle, Namur, Brussels and Paris; his home becomes a gathering place for artists, writers and publishers, and with each year he spends more time in Paris, at the centre of the art and literary world, and less with his wife and family.

1864–1870

Creates 34 book frontispieces

Between 1864 and 1870 Rops produces 34 frontispieces for books; his association with Baudelaire and his illustrations of the poet’s verse raise the visibility of his work and win the admiration of Théophile Gautier, Stéphane Mallarmé, Jules Barbey d’Aurevilly, Joséphin Péladan, Puvis de Chavannes, Gustave Moreau and Edmond and Jules de Goncourt.

11 May 1865

Baudelaire on Rops: “the only true artist”

In a letter to Édouard Manet, Baudelaire calls Rops the only true artist — in the sense in which he alone, or almost alone, understands the word — that he has found in Belgium.

March 1866

Baudelaire collapses in the Church of Saint-Loup in Namur

Rops invites Baudelaire, who is in Belgium in self-imposed exile from his creditors, and Poulet-Malassis to his home town; in the baroque Church of Saint-Loup, as they admire the carving of the confessionals, the poet collapses on the floor — the first symptoms of aphasia and hemiplegia. Baudelaire never fully recovers and dies in August 1867; he said that in Belgium only Rops and Poulet-Malassis lightened his sadness.

1868

Vice-president of the Société Libre des Beaux-Arts

The Société Libre des Beaux-Arts (Free Society of Fine Arts) is founded in Brussels, and Rops serves as its vice-president for several years.