Gerard Jacobs was part of a group of Antwerp artists who fled to Zeeland during the First World War and spent the rest of his life there and died there. He is therefore known and valued in Belgium and the Netherlands. His style was progressive for his time and his work was praised for the subtle light effects he incorporated into it, which is also noticeable in this painting of the Kempen heath north of Antwerp with silver birches in the foreground and small farms in the background. He influenced many later landscape painters of the Belgian school. Note that the work was already painted in 1907! It is signed and dated 'Ger Jacobs 1907' in the paint, scratched instead of painted. The canvas was once slightly damaged and was reinforced at the back with a insert piece and only restored at that place. The paint has some craquelure. It sits on the original stretcher and is sold with the original frame.