The oeuvre of Eugeen Van Mieghem gives an impressive, unique and virtuoso image of the people around 1900 in a world port. The Port of Antwerp has, just as many other smaller ports, been the source of inspiration for a great many artists. With Van Mieghem, however, the ordinary man and his struggle for a decent existence are central. Van Mieghem could not escape his destiny. His origins, his talent and his idealism impelled him to decide to be the committed artist of the people, of his people, the people of the port of Antwerp. In this book we attempt to sketch a picture of the factors that defined his life and we tell the story of the people that he knew.