Jean-Francois Portel | Belgian orientalist Painter 19th century | ArtLiveAndBeauty

Paintings  of Artist Jean-Francois Portel 

Jean-François Portel was a Belgian orientalist prolific painter and professor .  J.-F. Portel ( born 3th April - 1818 Vilvoorde - died in 8th February, 1895 in Brussels).

J.-F. Portel studied painting at the Brussels Academy of Arts under the guidance of François Navez, then in Paris with Paul Delaroche. In 1842, the artist won the Great Rome Prize and set off on a trip to Europe and the Middle East. After returning to his homeland in 1847, he held the post of director of the Academy of Arts in Ghent and opened his own art workshop. In 1874 Portel made a trip to Morocco; on his return, he heads the Brussels Academy of Painting.

In addition to canvases dedicated to the East, he painted portraits, pictures of historical and religious themes. He also performed artwork for the Cathedral of St. Jacob in Brussels. Portel's works belong to the neoclassical and romantic styles of painting. His work greatly influenced the development of the Belgian art school. He had many students, among others - Theo van Reisselberg, Emil Votard, sculptor Charles van der Stapen.

Jean François Portel the son of a brewer, he painted a lot, studied a lot and traveled around the world, headed the Academy of Arts in Brussels ... That is, in fact, all. But pictures, pictures! Jean François's oriental beauties are incredibly beautiful. And what kind of oriental woman is without jewelry ?! This is incomprehensible to the mind. In the Arab East, I saw a beggar in rags, pulling out a hand for alms, studded with gold bracelets to the elbow. I saw flocks of harem dwellers buying literally mountains of jewelry in jewelry stores. You can't live without them!

It was difficult for me to choose any one Portel painting for publication. All beauties are good! But on this one, more precisely on her beads, the gaze stopped more often. Googled: the picture is called "Beads". Voila!