Frans van der Smissen "The Standing Man "sculpture in patinated bronze, first half 20th century

Title: Standing man.
Artist: Frans van der Smissen (1894-1964).
Technique: Bronze with patina.
Date: First half of the 20th century.

The sculpture Standing Man depicts a lone man standing in a rowboat, leaning on an oar. His stooped body, bowed head and outstretched arms express effort and fatigue. The simple clothes and bare feet suggest a humble figure, perhaps a fisherman or laborer. The style is expressive: the forms are rough, energetically modeled, underlining a dramatic tension.
The work is part of a realist, expressionist movement, close to the Belgian social sculpture of the early 20th century, such as that of Constantin Meunier. It showcases commonplace figures in their daily toil, without pathos or idealization. Bronze, a noble material, lends this figure a special dignity.
Van der Smissen's leaning but upright figure expresses man's silent resistance in the face of hardship. The gesture is suspended, between effort and rest, in an almost meditative moment. The whole work conveys a humanist vision: that of the nobility of everyday life, of inner strength and perseverance.
Frans van der Smissen, brother of painter Leo Van der Smissen, is a discreet but sensitive Belgian sculptor whose work reflects a deep concern for the human condition. This sculpture, both sober and intense, is a fine tribute to the workers of the shadows, standing in their silence.