Alfred Stevens

{"Id":541,"Name":"Alfred Stevens","Biography":"\u003Cstrong\u003ESTEVENS, ALFRED (1828-1906)\u003C/strong\u003E, Belgian painter, was born in Brussels on the 11th of May 1828. His father, an old officer in the service of \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.bartleby.com/65/wi/Will1Neth.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003EWilliam I\u003C/a\u003E, king of the Netherlands, was passionately fond of pictures, and readily allowed his son to draw in the studio of Fran\u0026ccedil;ois Navex, director of the Brussels Academy. In 1844 Stevens went to Paris and worked under the instruction of \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/roqueplan_camille.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003ECamille Roqueplan\u003C/a\u003E, a friend of his father\u0027s; he also attended the classes at the \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.bartleby.com/65/ec/Ecoledes.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003E\u0026Eacute;cole des Beaux Arts\u003C/a\u003E, where \u003Ca href=\u0022/asp/database/art.asp?aid=31\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003EIngres\u003C/a\u003E was then professor. In 1849 he painted at Brussels his first picture, \u003Cu\u003EA Soldier in Trouble\u003C/u\u003E, and in the same year went back to Paris, where he definitely settled, and exhibited in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.bartleby.com/65/sa/Salon.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003ESalons\u003C/a\u003E. He then painted \u003Cu\u003EAsh-Wednesday Morning\u003C/u\u003E, \u003Cu\u003EBurghers and Country People finding at Daybreak the Body of a Murdered Gentleman\u003C/u\u003E, \u003Cu\u003EAn Artist in Despair\u003C/u\u003E, and \u003Cu\u003EThe Love of Gold\u003C/u\u003E. In 1855 he exhibited at the Antwerp Salon a little picture called \u003Cu\u003EAt Home\u003C/u\u003E, which showed the painter\u0027s bent towards depicting ladies of fashion. At the \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.bl.uk/collections/westeuropean/frenchexhibitions.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003EGreat Exhibition\u003C/a\u003E in Paris, 1855, his contributions were remarkable, but in 1857 he returned to graceful female subjects, and his path thenceforth was clear before him. At the Great Exhibition of 1867 he was seen in a brilliant variety of works in the manner he had made his own, sending eighteen exquisite paintings; among them were the \u003Cu\u003ELady in Pink\u003C/u\u003E (in the Brussels Gallery), \u003Cu\u003EConsolation\u003C/u\u003E, \u003Cu\u003EEvery Good Fortune\u003C/u\u003E, \u003Cu\u003EMiss Fauvette\u003C/u\u003E, \u003Cu\u003EOphelia\u003C/u\u003E, and \u003Cu\u003EIndia\u003C/u\u003E in Paris. At the Paris International Exhibitions of 1878 and 1889, and at the Historical Exhibition of Belgian Art, Brussels, 1880, he exhibited \u003Cu\u003EThe Four Seasons\u003C/u\u003E (in the Palace at Brussels), \u003Cu\u003EThe Parisian Sphinx\u003C/u\u003E, \u003Cu\u003EThe Japanese Mask\u003C/u\u003E, \u003Cu\u003EThe Japanese Robe\u003C/u\u003E, and \u003Cu\u003EThe Lady-bird\u003C/u\u003E (Brussels Gallery). He died on the 24th of August 1906. Alfred Stevens is one of the race of great painters, wrote \u003Ca href=\u0022http://24.1911encyclopedia.org/L/LE/LEMONNIER_ANTOINE_LOUIS_CAMILLE.htm\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003ECamille Lemonnier\u003C/a\u003E, and like them he takes immense pains with the execution of his work. The example of his finished technique was salutary, not merely to his brethren in Belgium, but to many foreign painters who received encouragement from the study of his method. The brother of Alfred Stevens, Joseph Stevens, was a great painter of dogs and dog life.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ESee J. du Jardin, \u003Cu\u003EL\u0027Arifiamand\u003C/u\u003E; Camille Lemonnier, \u003Cu\u003EHistoire des beaux arts en Belgique\u003C/u\u003E.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003ESource:\u003C/u\u003E\u003C/strong\u003E Entry on the artist in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http://33.1911encyclopedia.org/S/ST/STEVENS_ALFRED_PAINTER_.htm\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E1911 Edition Encyclopedia\u003C/a\u003E.\u003Cp\u003E","Awards":null,"HasAlbums":false,"HasPortraits":true,"HasRelationships":false,"HasArticles":false,"HasDepictedPlaces":true,"HasLetters":true,"HasLibraryItems":false,"HasProducts":false,"HasSignatures":false,"HasVideos":false,"HasMapLocations":true,"TotalArtworks":101}