Josse Impens (1840–1905) was a Belgian painter known for his interior scenes, genre scenes, portraits and nudes. He painted a number of scenes of artists and women in artist studios seen from the back.Paul F. State, ''Historical Dictionary of Brussels'', Rowman & Littlefield, 2015, p. 213 He also painted some city views.Boudewijn Goossens, ''Josse Impens''
in: ''Dictionnaire des peintres belges''

Life

Impens was born in Brussels. He studied in his home town at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts where

Jean-François Portaels Jean-François Portaels or Jan Portaels (3 April 1818 – 8 February 1895) was a Belgian painter of genre scenes, biblical stories, landscapes, portraits and orientalist subjects. He was also a teacher and director of the Academy of Fine Arts ...

was one of his teachers. Portaels was a prominent painter of genre scenes, biblical stories, landscapes, portraits and Orientalist subjects and the founder of the Belgian Orientalist school. Portaels further operated a private art studio in which he trained the next generation of Belgian painters.Edmond-Louis de Taeye, ''Les artistes belges contemporains. Leur vie, leurs œuvres, leur place dans l'art'', Castaigne, Brussels, 1894, pp. 9-25 Impens was also one of the students in Portaels' private studio.Jules Du Jardin, ''L'Art Flamand'', Bruxelles, A. Boitte, 1896, p. 81-85 Josse Impens - Old lady sewing

Impens exhibited works at the salons in Brussels (1891 and 1896) and Munich (1891 and 1894). He lived and worked in Schaerbeek where he died in 1905.

Work

Impens is known for his genre scenes, portraits and nudes. He painted a number of interior scenes of inns and cabarets in the old part of Brussels. Other interior scenes depict women doing domestic work or in conversation in what appear to be 16th- or 17th-century kitchens or rooms. He created some scenes with artists seen from the back in their studios or of women (models) visiting artist studios. He further painted city views of Brussels and portraits. Impens also painted some scenes of life in the countryside and people at work on the land. His works are close to those of the

Oyens brothers David Oyens (29 July 1842 in Amsterdam – 11 February 1902 in Brussels) and Pieter Oyens (29 July 1842 in Amsterdam – 16 February 1894 in Brussels), identical twins, were Dutch painters who specialized in genre scenes. They both spent most of ...

. They are characterized by a rapid technique, a brilliant color and a subtle humor.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Impens, Josse 1840 births 1905 deaths 19th-century Belgian painters Belgian male painters 19th-century Belgian male artists Belgian portrait painters Belgian genre painters Artists from Brussels