Willem Jacob Herreyns
Encyclopedia
William Jacob Herreyns was a Flemish
painter. He is regarded as one of the last painters in the tradition of the Baroque
and is the last follower of Peter Paul Rubens.
was one of his teachers. He completed his studies in 1764 and one year later he became the director of the Academy. In 1771 he went to live in Mechelen where he founded the local Academy in 1772.
In 1797 he saved 328 paintings from the churches and monasteries that had been ordered closed by the French
. Many of these paintings had in fact been stolen. He worked on the return of Rubens' paintings Our Lady with the parrot and the The Madonna surrounded by Saints. In 1810 he got permission from Napoleon
to set up a museum in the former Franciscan monastery in Antwerp. In 1815 38 of the 63 pictures removed by the French were added to its collection.
His pupils included Gustave Wappers (1803 - 1874) and Antoine-Joseph Wiertz
(1806 - 1865).
Flemish
Flemish can refer to anything related to Flanders, and may refer directly to the following articles:*Flemish, an informal, though linguistically incorrect, name of any kind of the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium....
painter. He is regarded as one of the last painters in the tradition of the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
and is the last follower of Peter Paul Rubens.
Life
William Herreyns was a scion of a family of artists. His father, Jacob III Herreyns, was a painter and decorator. His uncle Guillaume was a sculptor. He got his initial training from these relatives. Subsequently he studied at the Academy of Antwerp where Balthasar BescheyBalthasar Beschey
Balthasar Beschey , who was born at Antwerp in 1708, studied under Pieter Strick, an unimportant painter, but imitated the styles of Van Balen and of De Craeyer. In 1753 he was admitted as a freeman of the Guild of St. Luke, and two years later became one of the six directors of the Academy in the...
was one of his teachers. He completed his studies in 1764 and one year later he became the director of the Academy. In 1771 he went to live in Mechelen where he founded the local Academy in 1772.
In 1797 he saved 328 paintings from the churches and monasteries that had been ordered closed by the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
. Many of these paintings had in fact been stolen. He worked on the return of Rubens' paintings Our Lady with the parrot and the The Madonna surrounded by Saints. In 1810 he got permission from Napoleon
Bonaparte
The House of Bonaparte is an imperial and royal European dynasty founded by Napoleon I of France in 1804, a French military leader who rose to notability out of the French Revolution and transformed the French Republic into the First French Empire within five years of his coup d'état...
to set up a museum in the former Franciscan monastery in Antwerp. In 1815 38 of the 63 pictures removed by the French were added to its collection.
His pupils included Gustave Wappers (1803 - 1874) and Antoine-Joseph Wiertz
Antoine Wiertz
Antoine Joseph Wiertz was a Belgian romantic painter and sculptor.-Biography:Born in Dinant from a relatively poor family, he entered the Antwerp art academy in 1820...
(1806 - 1865).