Frédéric Ferdinand Koch (born Friedrich Ferdinand Koch, 28 November 1863 – 1923) was a renowned German-Belgian painter and pastellist celebrated for his delicate figures, poetic still lifes, intimate family scenes and Art Nouveau-inspired poster designs.

Early Life & Education

Born in Landau in der Pfalz (Germany), Koch studied at the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsruhe (c. 1880) and later at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts under Bernhard Scholz. These formative years shaped his exceptional mastery of pastel technique and his refined sense of light and colour.

Career & Belgian Period (1890-1905)

In the early 1890s, Koch settled in Zwijndrecht near Antwerp, Belgium, where he spent the most productive decade of his career. Active within the artistic circle De Scalden, he designed striking exhibition posters in pure Art Nouveau style (1900-1901) while producing his finest pastel works: tender mother-and-child portraits, luminous flower compositions and atmospheric forest interiors.

Major Exhibitions

• 1898 – Antwerp Exhibition
• 1903 – Triennial Salon, Brussels
• 1909 – Great Berlin Art Exhibition
• 1910 – Brussels International Exhibition

Style & Legacy

Koch’s pastels are instantly recognisable for their soft, glowing palette (rosy ochres, tender greens, powdery pinks) and extraordinary velvety texture. Today, his works are highly sought after by collectors of late 19th- and early 20th-century European pastel art and Belgian fin-de-siècle painting.

With auction records regularly reaching several thousand euros, Frédéric Ferdinand Koch remains a hidden gem of the pastel revival in 2025.

Discover our exclusive selection of authenticated works by Frédéric Ferdinand Koch – each piece accompanied by certificate and provenance.