Belgian writer Hubert Lampo, one of the founders of magic realism in Flanders, has died aged 85, according to the
Standaard
newspaper's Web site on Wednesday.
Author of 21 novels - of which The coming of Joachim Stiller is the most famous - as well as novellas and short stories, Lampo has received several awards and was for many years regarded as a candidate for the Nobel Prize.
Strongly influenced by his experience of World War Two, Lampo's work focused on humanism, democracy and social engagement. He was also a co-founder of a prominent literary magazine.
The literary genre of magic realism, which combines a realistic setting with supernatural elements, was made famous by Edgar Allan Poe, Oscar Wilde and Gabriel Garcia Marquez among other writers.
Lampo was born in Antwerp on September 1, 1920.