JEAN MICHEL RUYTEN (Antwerp 1813-1881). "Singers of the choir", 1857. Oil on canvas. Relined. Signed and dated in the lower margin. Measurements: 68 x 55 cm; 85 x 72,5 cm (frame). Animated scene of interior of church, with two clergymen occupying the central space of the choir, singing before a great book opened on the lectern, showing the score of the hymn. They are joined in their intonation by the canons seated on the upper level of the choir stalls. They hold missals in their hands. Two cellists accompany the voices. In the background, another cleric can be seen teaching chant to a choirboy. Occupying the first level of the stalls, the parishioners withdraw into their thoughts. A bronze candelabra gleams on a table covered with a red felt tablecloth. This is a descriptive painting with a bold play of light. Jan Michiel Ruyten was a Belgian Romantic painter, draughtsman and engraver known for his genre paintings, urban landscapes, landscapes with figures and history paintings. He was influenced by Dutch Romantic painting. Ruyten was born in Antwerp, where he received his early artistic training from Ignatius Josephus van Regemorter. From an early age he began to contribute his works to the salons of Ghent, Brussels and Antwerp. Ruyten became a member of the Antwerp Academy in 1840. The marine and city painter Hendrik Frans Schaefels worked as Ruyten's assistant between 1842 and 1844. He left Belgium for the Netherlands in the 1840s. He is known to have contributed a painting to the Hague exhibition in 1845. It is presumed that he lived and worked in The Hague until 1870. In the Netherlands he became acquainted with the work of Andreas Schelfhout and that artist's pupil, Wijnand Nuijen, who had a great influence on his choice of subjects. Schaefels exhibited in his native Belgium, as well as in Vienna and London, and received numerous awards. Among Ruyten's pupils were Florent Crabeels, Alexander Josephus Thomas Wittevronghel and Laurent Herman Redig. Although he initially painted cityscapes, during his residence in the Netherlands he was inspired by the work of Andreas Schelfhout and Wijnand Nuijen to begin painting river views, harbors, and ice scenes. Despite the Dutch influence in these works, he was able to maintain his originality. After 1870 he returned to painting city and market scenes. Jan Michiel Ruyten was of the same generation as the prominent Belgian history painter Henri Leys and to some extent was influenced by that artist. Ruyten was one of the first artists to use the newly invented photography for his cityscapes.