Félicien Rops is Born

Today in Masonic History Félicien Rops is Born in 1833.

Félicien Rops was a Belgian artist.

Rops was born in Namur, a city in the southern part of Belgium. He received some of his early training in art at a local academy. At the age of 22 he would move to Brussels and briefly attend the University of Brussels. He would later attend Académie de Saint-Luc where he would begin making satirical lithographs for the magazine Le Crocodile. He would work there until 1862. His work for the magazine would bring him fame as a caricaturist.

In 1862, Rops would move to Paris. There he would meet Félix Bracquemond and Jules Ferdinand Jacquemart to lithographers at the time. After meeting the two men, Rops would cease all work in lithographs in 1865, from that point forward he would focus all of time on etching techniques and experimenting on new methodologies.

In 1864, Rops would meet Charles Baudelaire, a poet at the time. Rops would be very impressed with Baudelaire who left a lasting impression on him. Baudelaire published a book of poetry that was banned in France. Rops would make the frontspiece, an image placed in a book opposite the title page, for the book. Rops would create the frontspiece for several other authors as well and would become well connected in the literary world.

Rops was one of the founders of the Société Libre des Beaux-Arts of Brussels (Free Society of Fine Arts).

In 1892, Rops eyesight would begin to fail. Despite this he would continue to keep his connections in the literary world.

Rops works have been described as "erotic or pornographic". He would often combine sex, death and Satanic images in his body of work.

Rops was a member of the Grand Orient of Belgium.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.