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Albert Jacob Frans Gregorius, or Albert Jacques François Grégorius (26 October 1774,
Bruges
Bruges ( , nl, Brugge ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country, and the sixth-largest city of the countr ...
- 25 February 1853, Bruges) was a Flemish-Belgian portrait painter and Director of the art academy in Bruges.
Biography
He was born into a poor, laboring family. His drawing abilities were observed by
François van der Donckt, a local portrait painter who took him in, gave him his first lessons and helped him enroll at the art academy. Gregorius was there from 1791 to 1793 and won several awards.
In 1801, he went to Paris, where he was apprenticed to
Joseph-Benoît Suvée
Joseph-Benoît Suvée (3 January 1743 – 9 February 1807) was a Flemish painter strongly influenced by French neo-classicism.
Biography
Suvée was born in Bruges. Initially a pupil of Matthias de Visch, he came to France aged 19 and bec ...
, who was also from Bruges. Not long after, Suvée went to Rome to become Director of the
French Academy
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, but Gregorius was able to find a position in the studios of
Jacques-Louis David
Jacques-Louis David (; 30 August 1748 – 29 December 1825) was a French painter in the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era. In the 1780s, his cerebral brand of history painting marked a change in ...
. In 1805, he was back in Bruges, making preparations to enter the
Prix de Rome
The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...
, but fell ill and was unable to participate.
After his recovery, he returned to Paris and remained until 1835. He soon established a reputation as a portrait painter and formed an association with other expatriate Flemish artists ("De Club van de Belgen"). After exhibiting in the Ghent Salon, he entered the
Paris Salon
The Salon (french: Salon), or rarely Paris Salon (French: ''Salon de Paris'' ), beginning in 1667 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Between 1748 and 1890 it was arguably the greatest annual or biennial art ...
in 1812 and would continue to display there annually until his departure. In addition to the usual French nobility, he is also known for his portrait of
August Wilhelm Schlegel
August Wilhelm (after 1812: von) Schlegel (; 8 September 176712 May 1845), usually cited as August Schlegel, was a German poet, translator and critic, and with his brother Friedrich Schlegel the leading influence within Jena Romanticism. His trans ...
, which is now on display at
Coppet Castle
Coppet Castle ( French: ''Château de Coppet'') is a château in the municipality of Coppet of the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. It gave its name to the celebrated group of several dozen ea ...
.
At the age of 61, he received an appointment as Director of "De Vrije Academie" (now "De Stedelijke Academie") in Bruges. He served until 1852, when he was forced to resign after clashes with colleagues, students and city officials over his conservative approach to art. His best-known student was
Ford Madox Brown
Ford Madox Brown (16 April 1821 – 6 October 1893) was a British painter of moral and historical subjects, notable for his distinctively graphic and often William Hogarth, Hogarthian version of the Pre-Raphaelite style. Arguably, his mos ...
.
Curiously, on his death certificate he was described as a "widower", but his wife's name was unknown. It has been speculated that he was briefly married during his long stay in France and had no close relatives he cared to notify.
Sources
* "Gregorius, Albert Jacob Frans". In: ''Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildenden Künstler von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart'', Vol.14: Giddens–Gress. E. A. Seemann, Leipzig 1921, pg.580
Online
* Gregorius, Albert in: ''Dictionnaire des peintres belges'
(Online)
Further reading
* A. Jacobs, "Albert Gregorius", in: ''Le dictionnaire des peintres belges du XIVe siècle à nos jours'', Vol. A-K, ed. by Eliane de Wilde and Philippe Roberts-Jones. La Renaissance du livre, 1995
* André Penninck and Fernand Boneure, "Albert Gregorius", in: ''Lexicon van Westvlaamse beeldende kunstenaars'', Vol. VII, Vereniging van Westvlaamse Schrijvers, 1998
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gregorius, Albert
1774 births
1853 deaths
19th-century Flemish painters
Belgian portrait painters
Artists from Bruges