'De Papagaai van Mijnheer Wijsneus' (De Geïllustreerde Kinderwereld #1, 7 July 1915).
Willem Seghers was a late 19th-century, early 20th-century Belgian illustrator and comic pioneer, about whom not much is known. He flourished in the early 1910s, publishing comics in the Flemish children's magazines Geïllustreerd Weekblad voor de Jeugd en het Huisgezin (nicknamed "Het Mannekensblad") and De Kindervriend.
Life and career
Willem Seghers presumably hailed from the province of Antwerp, since he designed covers and created text comics, with text underneath the images, for several Antwerp magazines, for instance Geïllustreerd Weekblad voor de Jeugd en het Huisgezin. Launched on 18 October 1911, the weekly ran many picture stories and text comics, most of which were foreign imports. Because of the many funnily drawn characters, general audiences quickly referred to the magazine as "Het Mannekensblad" (literally: "Little Men's magazine"). This nickname was used for many comic magazines in Flanders throughout the early 20th century. When the First World War broke out and Belgium was occupied by German forces, Het Mannekensblad ceased to be. Besides comical strips by Seghers, other identified artists whose work appeared in Het Mannekensblad were W.F., A. Nicholson, Pol Petit, Asy, B. Han and A. Lammour. However, this was presumably all imported material from France.
Willem Seghers also appeared in another children's magazine, De Kindervriend (N.V. Patria, 1911-1940), where some of his work was signed with his initials W.S. Most comics were imported from French and English magazines, but some local artists also provided illustrations and comics. Among the artists who signed their work were Tom Browne, Frank Ladendorf, Nadau and Julien 't Felt. Between August 1922 and March 1924, an almost identical magazine was published by Excelsior in The Netherlands under the title Het Dubbeltje. In 1926, De Kindervriend merged with the magazine De Geïllustreerde Kinderwereld.
During the First World War, Seghers made large illustrations depicting German war crimes in Antwerp and Leuven. This would imply that he probably spent the war years behind the Yser (IJzer) river, the only part of Belgium not conquered by German troops. In 1935, Seghers also designed several geographical maps, often in combination with photo collages.
Willem Seghers' son Lode Seghers (18 February 1905 - 17 March 1983) gained fame in adulthood as a painter, book illustrator and advertising artist.
Legacy
Willem Seghers ranks as one of the earliest Flemish comic artists, not counting 16th-century painters Pieter Bruegel the Elder and Jan Christoffel Jegher (who flourished in the Southern Netherlands and made a few sequential illustrations) and 19th-century illustrator Henri Cassiers. However, Seghers had no lasting impact on other Flemish comic artists, and has nowadays faded into obscurity.
Print by Willem Seghers commemorating the night attacks on Antwerp of 24-25 August 1914 (printer: A. Dermonde).