Rokende jongeman

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.

1862

Studies etching with Bracquemond and Jacquemart

In Paris Rops learns etching from Félix Bracquemond and Jules Ferdinand Jacquemart and becomes a restless experimenter with techniques; by 1865 he has given up lithography, and etching, alongside his continuing oil painting, becomes his principal medium.

1862

Meets the publisher Poulet-Malassis

Rops first meets Auguste Poulet-Malassis, the publisher of Charles Baudelaire; he will be introduced to Baudelaire himself later.

1864

Meets Charles Baudelaire

Baudelaire makes an enormous impression on Rops and a friendship develops: the poet visits the family at Thozée Castle many times and they travel together at least once; Rops creates frontispieces for Baudelaire’s “Les Épaves” and for a selection of poems from “Les Fleurs du mal” that were censored in France and therefore published in Belgium.

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.