10 - JEAN-BAPTISTE VAN EYCKEN (1809–1853)

JEAN-BAPTISTE VAN EYCKEN (1809–1853) A Captive Greek Family, 1844 signed and dated (lower right), incised and fragmentary oil on canvas 117.5 x 95 cm. (46.26 × 37.40 in.) oil on canvas Footnotes: Exhibitions Ghent Salon, 1844, no. 80. Born in Brussels in 1809, Jean-Baptiste Van Eycken was one of the leading figures in historical and religious painting in Belgium. After studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in his native city under the guidance of François-Joseph Navez, he continued his training in Paris, where he received guidance from Paul Delaroche and Jean-Victor Schnetz, and then in Rome, where he met Ingres and admired the works of Fra Angelico and Raphael, whose influence can be seen in several of his paintings. Upon returning to Brussels in 1839, he embarked on a successful career. He received several medals at Belgian and French art exhibitions. In 1840, his work *Divine Clemency* (*La Clémence divine*) was awarded the gold medal at the exhibition held at the Louvre in Paris. He also became a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, where he taught until his death. As his reputation continued to grow, several of his works found their way into prestigious collections, notably in Belgium, France, and England. Dated 1844, *A Greek Family in Captivity* (*Une famille grecque captive*) was exhibited that same year at the Ghent Salon of Fine Arts, where it was met with considerable acclaim. Through the resigned yet courageous demeanor of its figures, this prison scene evokes the suffering of the Greek people during their revolt against the Ottoman Empire. This subject greatly inspired European artists throughout the nineteenth century, with Eugène Delacroix’s painting *Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi* being one of the most celebrated examples of Philhellenic painting of the period. In this painting, as in his religious works, Van Eycken approaches the subject with restrained emotion and great sobriety. His style can be compared to the historical paintings of Paul Delaroche, who had advised the artist during his stay in Paris. For further information on this lot, please visit Bonhams.com