A Life in Observation Edouard de Jans began his life in Sint-Andries, the son of a farmer and a miller. His interest in art did not come from formal study but from a window, watching the displays in a local lithographer's shop. This early curiosity found a practical outlet when an aristocrat, working on the restoration of the Steentien castle, saw enough promise in the young man's drawings to suggest formal training. This led him to the Bogardenschool and later to the Bruges Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under Eduard Wallays. His path moved toward Antwerp, where he eventually entered…