Honora Jacob

Virtue of Knowledge, oil painting, Texas artist, Realistic painting

2020

JUST ARRIVED SEPTEMBNER 2024 KISS ME BESAME is a new painting from the studio of Cuban artist Cristian Mesa Velazquez. Kiss Me is an oil painting done in the Realist Style of conte...

HRDR.FSTR,SMTR is an oil painting by V...Vaughan of Steve Navarro of California. In late November Steven Navarro is participating in the PanAmerican games in Cali, Colombia after winning the Gold Medal at the PanAmerican Games in Guadalajara. He is ranked #1 in his weight division of 114 lbs.He most likely will qualify for the Paris 2024...

Jean-François Portaels 1818 – Brussels – 1895 Belgian Painter 'Portrait of a Man in a Black Coat' Signature: signed middle lower left, dated 1878 and named ‘J. Portaels 1878. Ch. Lefebvre' Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: image size 60,5 x 50,5 cm Biography: Jean-François Portaels, also known as Jan Portaels, was a versatile Belgian painter born on April 3, 1818, in Vilvoorde and passed away on February 8, 1895, in Schaerbeek. He was celebrated for his genre scenes, biblical stories, landscapes, portraits, and Orientalist subjects. As a teacher and director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Ghent and the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Portaels significantly impacted Belgian art, becoming a pivotal figure in the Belgian Orientalist school. His works were known for their ‘everyday elegance and feminine grace,’ and he played a crucial role in influencing the next generation of Belgian artists, including notable figures like Théo van Rysselberghe. Portaels was the son of a wealthy brewer who also served as Vilvoorde’s mayor. Showing an early passion for drawing, he was sent to the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels in 1836, where he studied under François-Joseph Navez, a former student of Jacques-Louis David. Navez invited him to his studio, which was renowned at the time, allowing Portaels to refine his skills alongside other talented students like Charles de Groux and Joseph Stallaert. In 1841, Portaels moved to Paris, enrolling at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and studying under Paul Delaroche. He became influenced by the emerging Orientalist movement, which was gaining traction in Paris. In 1842, he won the Grand Prix de Rome, which funded his travels across Italy and other regions, including Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Judea, Spain, Hungary, and Norway. These journeys profoundly influenced his artistic vision, particularly his Orientalist works. Upon his return to Belgium in 1847, Portaels was appointed Director of the academy in Ghent. In 1849, he married Marie Hélène Navez, the daughter of his first teacher. Despite being offered the directorship of the Brussels Academy, he initially declined, opting to preserve his independence. He later accepted a teaching position at the Academy and eventually became its director in 1878, succeeding Eugène Simonis. Portaels was known for his broad range of artistic talents, including history painting, portraiture, and genre art. He was particularly recognized for his Orientalist depictions, often portraying the ‘Oriental woman’ with distinctive features like arched eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes. His style, marked by charm and elegance, distinguished him from the dominant artistic movements of Classicism and Romanticism. He was a pioneer in monumental art in Belgium, working with Jean Baptiste van Eycken to introduce fresco techniques like water glass painting...

A delightful portrait of a young lady in motion, umbrella in hand, with sure brushstrokes and wonderful mastery of color. Proudly presented by Guy Lyman Fine Art...