Houben, Henri (Belgian 1858 - 1931), The Shepherd Leading the Flock past a Cottage, oil on canvas, 15.5 x 18.5 inches, signed lower right, framed in a period gilded and scrolled Victorian frame measuring 26 x 29 inches, Provenance: The Estate of Bruce Baker, Pittsburgh, Pa., Born in Antwerp in 1858, Henri Houbén was the son of a violin master at the Antwerp School of Music. In 1877, Houbén enrolled at the Antwerp Academy and became a student of the painter Karel Verlat. Houbén spent some time in Holland, but eventually returned and settled in Belgium where he enjoyed a successful career as a painter of landscapes, portraits, and figures. In 1885, he was appointed painting master at the Antwerp Academy, a position which he held until his death in 1931. In 1921, Houbén traveled to Spain with fellow Belgian artist Jan van Puyenbroeck (1887-1972). This is a great example of the naturalist painting that Houben is best known for.