Mathys Ignatius van Bree

Variant namesprimary name: Mathys Ignatius van Bree

DatesBiographical dates: 1773 - 1839 Dead: dead 1839 Born: born 1773

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BiographyBiography: Mattheus Ignatius van Brée began his artistic training at the Academy of Art in Antwerp, where he was for some time a pupil of Petrus Johannes van Regemorter before eventually becoming a professor at the Academy with his own studio in 1794. In 1796 he was working at François-André Vincent’s studio in Paris. On his return to Antwerp his work included allegorical depictions of Napoleon’s life and deeds as well as his entry into Antwerp. When Napoleon and Joséphine visited Antwerp, he was the artist responsible for the festive decorations and he subsequently completed a number of commissions for the Empress Joséphine. In the early years of the 19th century he exhibited regularly in Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent. Van Brée also executed works for the House of Orange and was appointed court painter by Willem II in 1817. He spent some time in Florence in 1821 and from 1827 until his death he was director of the Antwerp Academy of Art. With his works influenced by Jacques Louis David and French neo-classicism, Van Brée is accounted one of the most influential history painters in the Netherlands during the late 18th and early 19th centuries and he took his motifs from both classical mythology and contemporary politics and history. He also executed graphical works, paintings with religious motifs and portraits. As professor and teacher at the Academy of Art, he was to influence a younger generation of painters in what was known as the romantic school of Belgian art.

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