Portrait of Madame Jules Ricard, née Augustine Bulteau

Fernand Khnopff was a Belgian draughtsman and painter central to the Symbolist movement of the late 19th century. Working primarily in drawing, pastel, and oil, he created introspective portraits and allegorical compositions marked by refined linearity, muted palettes, and an atmosphere of psychological reserve. His work has been exhibited at MoMA as part of major surveys of Symbolist aesthetics. Khnopff's refined technique and enigmatic figuration established him as a key voice in Belgian fin-de-siècle art.