He distinguished himself in Belgian art competitions and, in 1897, won the prestigious Godecharle Prize, one of the most important awards given to young Belgian artists. This distinction enabled him to undertake several study trips to Europe and North Africa, experiences that were decisive for the development of his artistic style.

Upon returning from the war, he devoted himself to painting—particularly landscapes—as well as to teaching. From 1927 to 1945, he served as an “open-air painting instructor” at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels.

For Bastien, it is not the drawing that makes the work, but color and light.

Our composition depicts a solitary house situated on the edge of a calm body of water, whose surface reflects the surrounding landscape.
The subject is extremely simple: a few buildings, a vegetated shore, the reflection on the water, and a vast sky that occupies a large portion of the canvas.

The true subject, however, remains the interplay between earth, water, and light. Bastien uses the water’s surface as a reflective plane where forms dissolve.
Buildings, vegetation, and the sky thus become broad, fragmented strokes, almost abstract in places. The deep greens of the riverbanks echo the cool, milky blues of the water, while a few warm accents punctuate the scene.