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At a rather young age, Thévenet comes into contact with Oleffe, a very important painter in the then Brussels scene who had a strong influence on the so-called Brussels Fauves, which included, among others, Rik Wouters. Thévenet becomes very good friends with Oleffe. In 1896 he moves with him to Nieuwpoort where they will both live for some time. He paints his first paintings in 1900, the Church of Nieuwpoort and Oleffe’s interior. In 1905, he moves back to Brussels. In 1906 he meets François Van Haelen, one of Belgium’s then most famous collectors who will from then on continue to support him. In 1906 he marries Emma Tevens, who will also manage his accounts, giving us a clear view of Thévenets sales from 1908 onward. He enjoys great success until 1914, his work sells well, and he takes part in all the major exhibitions and exhibits at the famous Brussels Gallery Georges Giroux. Even Queen Elizabeth buys one of his canvases. The interest in his work, however, was largely inspired by the beautiful and seductive aspect of his petty-bourgeois interiors and the air of naivety that pervaded his canvases. Thévenet felt greatly misunderstood because of this. His alcohol abuse and his reticence made him quite unpopular, and he was almost shunned by everyone from 1914 onward, except for René Lyr, who later in 1945 wrote a wonderful biography about him titled ‘Mon ami Louis Thévenet’. Thévenet died on August 16, 1930 at 56 years of age, lonely and withdrawn.
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