Louis-Eugène Simonis (11 July 1810, in

Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...

– 11 July 1893, in

Koekelberg Koekelberg (, ) is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the north-western part of the region, it is bordered by Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Ganshoren, Jette and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean. In common with all ...

) was a

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...

sculptor.

Career

Simonis studied under François-Joseph Dewandre at the Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Liège and at the age of nineteen went to Italy, where he continued his studies in

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

and Rome. When he returned to Belgium he accepted an instructor position at the Liege Academy. Later he moved to

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

, where he became the director of the

Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts The Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Brussels (french: Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts - École supérieure des Arts de la Ville de Bruxelles (ARBA-ESA), nl, Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten van Brussel), is an art school established in B ...

. Among his many students were the Belgian sculptors

Thomas Vinçotte Baron Thomas Jules Vinçotte (1850–1925) was a Belgian sculptor and medallist. Life Vinçotte was the son of Jean-Marie Vinçotte, born in Borgerhout and brother of the engineer Robert Vinçotte. Thomas initially trained at the Académie ...

Julien Dillens Julien Dillens (8 June 1849 – 24 December 1904) was a Belgian sculptor born in Antwerp, the son of the painter Hendrick Joseph Dillens. Biography Dillens studied under Eugène Simonis at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts. In 1877 he receive ...

, and

Charles Samuel Charles Samuel (29 December 1862, in Brussels – 3 February 1938 or 1939, in Cannes) was a Belgian sculptor, engraver and medalist. Life Samuel was born in Brussels and trained there. He studied engraving with Léopold Wiener, sculptur ...

. The square in Brussels, where Simonis had his studio, was given the name ''Eugène Simonis Square'' in his honor. A

metro station A metro station or subway station is a station for a rapid transit system, which as a whole is usually called a "metro" or "subway". A station provides a means for passengers to purchase Train ticket, tickets, board trains, and Emergency eva ...

in Brussels, completed in 1982, bears his name. In 2007, a bust of Simonis by Annie Junger was unveiled at Simonis Square.

Honours

* 1881: Grand Officer in the Order of Leopold.Handelsblad (Het) 15 May 1881

Selected works

Mons Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium. Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...

Leopold I of Belgium * nl, Leopold Joris Christiaan Frederik * en, Leopold George Christian Frederick , image = NICAISE Leopold ANV.jpg , caption = Portrait by Nicaise de Keyser, 1856 , reign = 21 July 1831 – , predecessor = Erasme Loui ...

, at the railway station

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 ...

Simon Stevin Simon Stevin (; 1548–1620), sometimes called Stevinus, was a Flemish mathematician, scientist and music theorist. He made various contributions in many areas of science and engineering, both theoretical and practical. He also translated vario ...

, 1846, Brussels *

Godfrey of Bouillon Godfrey of Bouillon (, , , ; 18 September 1060 – 18 July 1100) was a French nobleman and pre-eminent leader of the First Crusade. First ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem from 1099 to 1100, he avoided the title of king, preferring that of princ ...

(1848), Royal Square * Sculptures for the

Congress Column The Congress Column (french: Colonne du Congrès, nl, Congreskolom) is a monumental column in Brussels, Belgium, commemorating the creation of the Belgian Constitution by the National Congress of 1830–31. Inspired by Trajan's Column in Rome ...

, including both lions and one (of four) sitting statue which represents the ''Freedom of Worship''. (The statue of

King Leopold I * nl, Leopold Joris Christiaan Frederik * en, Leopold George Christian Frederick , image = NICAISE Leopold ANV.jpg , caption = Portrait by Nicaise de Keyser, 1856 , reign = 21 July 1831 – , predecessor = Erasme Lou ...

on top of the column was made by

Guillaume Geefs Guillaume Geefs (10 September 1805 – 19 January 1883), also Willem Geefs, was a Belgian sculptor. Although known primarily for his monumental works and public portraits of statesmen and nationalist figures, he also explored mythological su ...

.) * Bas-relief '' L'Harmonie des Passions humaines decorant '' (''Harmony of the Arts'') on the pediment of the La Monnaie theatre. Liege *

André Dumont André Dumont may refer to: * André Dumont (geologist) * André Dumont (politician) André Dumont (24 May 1764 at Oisemont – 19 October 1838 at Abbeville), was a French parliamentarian, a regicide, a deputy of the National Convention, Pres ...

, (1886) *

Walthère Frère-Orban Hubert Joseph Walthère Frère-Orban (24 April 1812 – 2 January 1896) was a Belgian liberal statesman. Early life He was born at Liège, received his education at home and in Paris, and began the practice of law in his native town. He identif ...

Notes

References

* Jordens-Leroy, Chantal (1990) ''Un sculpteur belge du XIXe Siecle: Louis-Eugene Simonis'' Académie Royale de Belgique, Brussels, 1810 births 1893 deaths 19th-century Belgian sculptors 19th-century Belgian male artists Members of the Royal Academy of Belgium {{Belgium-sculptor-stub