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Victor Lagye

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Portrait of Victor Lagye

Victor Lagye(20 June 1825, inGhent– 1 September 1896, inAntwerp)[1]was a Belgian painter and illustrator best known for hisgenre paintingsand history scenes.[2]He participated in various decorative programs commissioned by the Belgian government. In his later years he was active in art education.[3]

Life[edit]

Victor Lagye studied at the Ghent Academy, where one of his teachers wasThéodore-Joseph Canneel.He won thePrix de Romein 1843.[4]The prize allowed him to travel to Italy. At the time, Italy was in turmoil. According to some sources he was a member of the 'university bataillon' under the command ofCharles Albert of Sardiniaand afterwards acted as volunteer in Garibaldi's Army during the revolt in Rome at the end of 1848, which led to the foundation of theRoman Republic.[5]When the French retook Rome Lagye escaped to avoid a death sentence.[6]The artist went first to Brussels in 1849 and in 1850 he moved to Antwerp.[4]

Dancers in the temple

In Antwerp he forged a friendship withJan August Hendrik Leys.Leys was a leading representative of the historical orRomanticschool and a pioneer of theRealistmovement in Belgium.[7]Leys had distanced himself from the pathos and historical anecdotes of the Romantic school and the Rubens' influenced style of de Keyser. Instead, Leys had begun painting scenes set in 16th-century Antwerp, combining details studied from life with a deliberately archaising style reminiscent of 15th and 16th-century Flemish and German painting.[8]Lagye became an enthusiastic and devoted disciple of Leys and started to paint the same subjects as Leys.[2]

From the mid-1850s the Belgian government commenced to promote monumental art in Belgium. It provided financial assistance to artists on various projects. The artistsJean Baptiste van EyckenandJean-François Portaels,both pupils ofFrançois-Joseph Navez,were the two artists who had launched the monumentalist movement. It was then taken up by artists such asJan SwertsandGodfried Guffenswho had learned about the movement in Germany. The promotion of monumental art dealing with episodes from the Belgian national history was regarded by the government of the young Belgian state as an important means of creating a national identity. The Belgian prime ministerCharles Rogierwas in particular in support of this movement.[9]

The burning of Gaasbeek by the French

Lagye was able to obtain various public commissions for monumental decorations in churches and public buildings. He also lobbied the Belgian government for funds for these projects. He worked around 1850 withJean-François Portaelson 20 murals in the chapel of the Brothers of the Christian Doctrine in Brussels. The artists used a new process, which is referred to as 'water-glass painting'.[9]Water-glass painting is a technique of mural painting, intended to resist the effects of damp and pollution, that was invented and popular in the 19th century. It is a form of fresco painting.[10]In 1855 he collaborated withLucas Victor Schaefelson the decorations in the St Anthony Church in Antwerp. The artists again used the water-glass painting process.[11]Lagye also worked in 1859 on decorations inGaasbeek Castledepicting various episodes from Belgian history such asThe burning of Gaasbeek by the French.

Lagye further worked on decorative projects on the occasion of various national celebrations. For the national celebrations of 1856 he produced a large canvas depicting theApotheosis of the Queenfor the triumphal arch. For the celebrations on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Belgian state, Lagye designed the floats for the parade in Brussels together with Joseph Gerard and Gustaaf den Duyts.[12]

Visiting the lawyer

He designed the title pages and illustrations for several Flemish authors. He also designed the illustrations for an edition of the Belgian Constitution published in 1852. In the edition the text of the constitution was surrounded by ornamented frames. Key provisions were illustrated outside of the text with 12 plates made from wood block engravings, which were carved by the engravers Henri Brown, William Brown,Charles Ligny,E. Vermorcken and Adolphe-Francois Pannemacker. Lagye designed the figures, frames, armorial bearings and seals.[13]

In 1861 the Belgian state made a deal with the management (de Kerkfabriek) of theSt Bavo's Cathedralin Ghent. Pursuant to the deal the Kerkfabriek sold the Adam and Eve of theGhent Altarpieceof Jan and Hubert van Eyck to theRoyal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgiumand in return, the Kerkfabriek received: (1) 50,000 Belgian Francs for the glass windows in the cathedral choir; (2) the copies of the side panels painted byMichiel Coxiein the 16th century, and (3) a state stipend to pay a painter to produce copies of Adam and Eve tailored to the good taste and customs of the time. Victor Lagye received the commission to paint the 'decent' versions of Adam and Eve. He made copies with Adam and Eve no longer nude as in the original, but with clothes.[14]He commenced his work on these panels in 1861 and completed them the next year.[15]The panels were attached to theGhent Altarpiecein the St Bavo's Cathedral. In 1921 the panels were detached again and replaced by the originals which had returned from Germany after the First World War. Lagye's panels are still hung elsewhere in the St Bavo's Cathedral.[16]

Carnival in Bruges

Around 1890, the city of Antwerp commissioned Lagye with the decoration of the wedding hall in the City Hall. Lagye created a cycle of six frescos depicting the history of marriage in Belgium regions: one Old Roman, a Christian, a barbarian, a Medieval, a royal wedding and a republican wedding.[3]

Victor Lagye played a role in launching the international career ofLawrence Alma-Tademawhen he introduced Lawrence Alma-Tadema to the Flemish art dealer Gambart who was active in London. He gave Gambart's coachman the wrong address so that Gambart visited Lawrence Alma-Tadema's studio and impressed by the work he saw there Gambart agreed to represent Lawrence Alma-Tadema.[17]

Lagye became a professor at the Higher Institute of Fine Arts in Antwerp in 1871 and was promoted to the director of that institution in 1895. His pupils includedAlbrecht De Vriendt.[3]

Lagye won during his career several distinctions: a Medal at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia of 1876,Chevalier of the Order of Leopoldand a gold medal at the salon in Brussels in 1860.[18]

Lagye died on 1 September 1896 in Antwerp.[1]

Work[edit]

The lyre

Victor Lagye was a painter whose main subject matter was portraits andgenre paintings.He started as a typical representative of the late-Romantic style as developed in Belgium by pupils and teachers of the Antwerp Academy.[3]In particular, the influence of Lagye's teacher Henri Leys remained paramount at the academy throughout the second half of the 19th century in style as well as subject matter.[19]The teachers at the academy encouraged their students to study the antique, draw precisely and stick to the sober and somber palette typical of 19th century academic painting.[20]

Lagye became an enthusiastic and devoted disciple of Leys and started to paint subjects similar to the subjects favored by Leys and Leys' pupils such asEugène Siberdt.His subject included genre scenes often of a sentimental nature set in the 16th and 17th century such asA maiden feeding squirrels,stories from the glorious national history such asThe girlfriend of EmperorCharles Vat the cradle of her childand stories fromGoethe'sFaust.He also often depictedRomawomen.[3]Lagye was criticized by some art historians for being a slavish follower of Leys but with less imagination and technical skill.[21]He initially used the sober color palette favored by Leys. He later abandoned Leys' themes in search of a warmer, more modern range, often more daring in its presentation.[2]

Draughtswoman at the banks of the Scheldt

Lagye also painted some portraits of fashionable women such as theYoung woman resting on a park bench(Hôtel de Ventes Horta Brussels auction of February 2018 lot 213).[22]

Lagye also flirted with Orientalism and created various compositions depicting scenes from old Egypt such asThe lyre(Sotheby's New York auction of 1 February 2018 lot 863).[23]

Eugène Verboeckhoven filled out some of his pictures.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^abVictor Lagyeat theNetherlands Institute for Art History
  2. ^abcdVictor Lagye,Shrove Tuesday along the Dijver in Brugesin Berko Fine Arts catalogue
  3. ^abcdeKarel Maria Polydoor de Mont,De schilderkunst in België van 1830 tot 1921,Nijhoff, 1921, p. 67-69(in Dutch)
  4. ^abVictor Lagyein the Boon Gallery 2007 Catalogue
  5. ^'Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp - Descriptive Catalogue II Modern Masters', published by Museum Committee, 1905, p. 56
  6. ^Ms Cathy Matthews Helen Seaborn Smith, in:The magazine of art,published 1878, Rom 1891, Volume 20 Publisher: Cassell & Co., London, 1905, p. 56
  7. ^Max Rooses, 'Joseph Lies' in: Max Rooses, 'Oude en Nieuwe Kunst', Boekhandel J. Vuylsteke, Ghent, 1896, p. 47-48, 129-139(in Dutch)
  8. ^Jean F. Buyck,Henri Leys - Lucie Leys, dochter van de schilderin OKV 1966(in Dutch)
  9. ^abAnna Bergmans,Middeleeuwse muurschilderingen in de 19de eeuw: studie en inventaris van middeleeuwse muurschilderingen in Belgische kerken,Leuven University Press, 1998, p. 21(in Dutch)
  10. ^'Water-glass painting'in Oxford Reference
  11. ^De Muerschildering der heeren Victor Lagye en Lucas Schaefels, in St.-Antoniuskerk te Antwerpen.in: De Vlaamsche School. Jaargang 1. St.-Lukasgilde, Antwerpen 1855, p. 12-13(in Dutch)
  12. ^Jeroen Janssens,De Belgische natie viert: de Belgische nationale feesten, 1830-1914,Leuven University Press, 2001(in Dutch)
  13. ^Constitution de la Belgique. Edition illustréeat Marelibre(in French)
  14. ^Noah Charney, 'Stealing the Mystic Lamb: The True Story of the World's Most Coveted Masterpiece', Public Affairs, 2010, p. 155
  15. ^Linda Seidel,Adam and Eve: Shameless First Couple of the Ghent Altarpiece
  16. ^Victor Lagye,Adam - Geklede versieat Lukasweb(in Dutch)
  17. ^Percy Cross Standing,Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema O.M., R.A.,Cassell and Company, Limited, London, Paris, New York, Melbourne, 1905, p. 25
  18. ^Catalogue of Mr. H.L. Dousman's gallery of valuable paintings by George A. Leavitt & Co; Clinton Hall(New York, N.Y.), 1884, p. 30
  19. ^'Contradicties: 350 jaar Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen: 1663-2013'; 2013(in Dutch)
  20. ^Ensor's paletteat the KMSKA website
  21. ^Serge Le Bailly de Tilleghem, La Peinture en Belgique au XIXe Siecle. Conférence Prague & Brno,April 2007(in French)
  22. ^Victor Lagye,Young woman resting on a park benchat Sotheby's
  23. ^Jean-Marcel Humbert, Michael Pantazzi, Christiane Ziegler,Egyptomania: Egypt in western art, 1730-1930: [exhibition] Paris, Musée du Louvre, 20 January-18 April 1994; Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada, 17 June-18 September 1994; Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, 16 October 1994-29 January 1995,1994, p. 345

External links[edit]

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