Karel Boom, also known as Charles Boom was a Belgian genre painter, watercolorist and art teacher.

He attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Antwerp), where he studied with Edward Dujardin, Lucas Victor Schaefels and Charles Verlat.

After completing his studies, he worked as a freelance genre and portrait painter in Antwerp, and assisted Verlat with his battle paintings of the Coalition Wars, in Waterloo and Russia. He also performed decorative work at the Town Halls in Antwerp and Hoogstraten.

From 1885 to 1924, he held the post of Professor at the Royal Academy.

He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross in the Order of Leopold.