Having won the Prix Rubens (1930), he left for Paris, where he encountered the sculpture of Charles Despiau, Aristide Maillol and Pierre Renoir, which influenced his mature style. In 1931, he set up his studio at Saint-Idesbald, non the coast, where his house became a rendez-vous of artists including Pierre Caille, the Haesaerts brothers, Edgard Tytgat, and Paul Delvaux.
Having received the Prix Rubens (1930), he departed for Paris, where he encountered the sculpture of Charles Despiau, Aristide Maillol and Pierre Renoir, which influenced his mature style. In 1931, he established his studio at Saint-Idesbald, inland, where his house became a gathering place for artists including Pierre Caille, the Haesaerts brothers, Edgard Tytgat, and Paul Delvaux.