Albert Servaes (4 April 1883 – 19 April 1966) was a Belgian expressionist painter. He was associate with but not a member of the first Latem School of painting which focused on Mystical Realism. Servaes went in another artistic direction and became a founder of Belgian expressionism. He is known for his religious works, typically showing the suffering of Jesus Christ, which stirred a conflict wit in the Catholic Church. He also gained fame for his expressionist landscapes. After fleeing Belgium after World War II to escape retribution for collaborating with the German occupiers during the war, he lived in Switzerland and became a Swiss citizen. Life and career Early career Albert Servaes was born in Ghent, Belgium in a middle class family engaged in retail activities. In line with his family's ambitions, he started his career as a travelling salesman for the family business. This did not stop him from painting from a young age and to look for opportunities to practice his art after working hours. He was mostly self-taught. He moved in 1904 to the rustic village of Sint-Martens-Latem outside of Ghent. Here, a group of artists, later referred to as the first Latem School, had already taken up residence. The group included George Minne, Gustave van de Woestijne, Valerius De Saedeleer, and . The first Latem School comprised a group of artists which focused on mystical realism. This was a reaction to the Paris-based Impressionist art that had dominated the painting world for the previous half-century. From 1905 Servaes became interested in religion and mysticism while living in Sint-Martens-Latem and befriended members of a local church community. However, the subtle symbolism of the first Latem School did not appeal to Servaes and he chose another artistic path. Servaes struggled to live off his paintings early in his career, but he gained fame and recognition in Ghent and Belgium during World War I. Several of his exhibitions near Ghent solidified his name in the regional art scene and allowed him to become financially secure. Collaboration with the enemy and flight to Switzerland Before World War II, Servaes expressed his Flemish-nationalist feelings mainly through his art. He joined Verdinaso, a right wing authoritarian political party which had grown out of the Flemish Movement. During the German occupation, he openly showed his pro-German sympathies. He collaborated with the occupier in its control over the cultural life in Belgium. He