Some literary comfort in these trying times. Tournai-born painter Fernand Allard l’Olivier (1883-1933) will be put in the limelight through an impressive monograph published on November 4. Through reproductions of hitherto unpublished works and personal documents (travel diaries, private correspondence, sketches, etc.) we are able to discover the incredible destiny of this painter-adventurer. The book takes us from Tournai to Yanonge, over Paris and Algiers. Fernand Allard l’Olivier, war reporter, painter of travel scenes, academic artist and illustrator, son of a family of recognized lithographers, is a many-faceted artist who lives an extraordinary life. Today his works are part of private and public collections all over the world. For the very first time they are now bundled in a beautiful artistic publication.

It is important to add that the Royal Military Museum, one of the WHI sites, safeguards the most important collection worldwide of Fernand Allard l'Olivier's works about the First World War. During the 14-18 conflict the artist was an official Belgian army painter and member of its artistic section. It is one of the WHI historians, Mrs Sandrine Smets, who wrote the chapter about this period. Be sure to come and admire Fernand Allard l'Olivier's works as soon as the Museum will have reopened its doors!