Maurice Antony

° 09/06/1883, Ypres – 21/06/1963, Ostend

Maurice Antony and his younger brother Robert Antony (1885-1966) hold a special place among the great Belgian photographers of the first half of the 20th century. Their poignant images of the devastation of Ypres at the beginning of the First World War were seen around the world. From 1919, the Antony brothers settled in Ostend, where they were keen observers of life in the fashionable seaside resort.

With their keen eye and sense of aesthetics, they captured in their photo reportages the activities of the local population, the harbor, the fishing industry, and the comings and goings of the crème de la crème who visited Ostend during the interwar period. The Kursaal, the Promenade, beach life, the harbor, the racecourse and other sporting events, the many festivities… All were reviewed. Thanks to the friendly contacts Maurice Antony maintained with Ostend artists, we have unique photographs of Léon Spilliaert, Constant Permeke, and James Ensor. His personal friendship with Ensor, in particular, produced an exceptional art-historical treasure trove of photos of the master in his daily environment.