Jean-Baptiste Fresez
Encyclopedia
Jean-Baptiste Fresez was Luxembourg
's most important 19th-century painter. He is remembered above all for his almost photographic images of the City of Luxembourg
.
on 10 July 1800, Fresez came to Luxembourg City with his parents in 1802 when his father started to work at the Sept-Fontaines porcelain factory in the Rollingergrund
. He attended the Luxembourg Drawing School where he was awarded the first prize when he was just 14, before continuing his art studies at the Royal Academy
in Brussels
. In 1848, Fresez acquired Luxembourg nationality.
on the River Saar. There he was also charged with giving art lessons to François Boch
's children. When his father died in 1817, he returned to Luxembourg where he obtained employment in an architect's office. This allowed him to save up for his education in painting and sculputre at the Royal Academy in Brussels where he received a diploma allowing him to become an art teacher. From 1824, he taught first at the Luxembourg Drawing School, then at the prestigious Athénée
. Among his most notable students were the painter and photographer Pierre Brandebourg
and the illustrator Michel Engels
. He spent all his holidays in Antwerp, studying the grand masters leading in 1826 to a diploma from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. At the Athénée he developed a innovative method of art teaching which, welcomed by the school, became a compulsory course for most of the students.
Fresez published views of Luxembourg City, helped Nicolas Liez
with his album and, in 1857, published his own Album pittoresque du Grand-Duché dedicated to Prince Henry of the Netherlands. The album contains a collected of lithographs based on 30 of his finest drawings, all considered to be of great documentary value. As a result, Fresez became a member of the Grand-Ducal Archeological Society (Société archéologique du Grand-Duché) and of the Brussels Institute of Fine Arts (Institut des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles). He died on 31 March 1867 in Luxembourg City.
who was visiting Luxembourg. It was so highly appreciated that the king asked for a copy for his wife. His landscapes, which he began to publish as early as 1826, were also of considerable artistic merit. A similar publication followed in 1833 and in 1855, he published his famous Album pittoresque du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg. The landscapes are extremely detailed, many of them depicting Luxembourg's most beautiful scenes which can usually still be easily identified today. As a result, the works are of great documentary value, especially those of the fortress of Luxembourg before it was dismantled.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
's most important 19th-century painter. He is remembered above all for his almost photographic images of the City of Luxembourg
Luxembourg (city)
The city of Luxembourg , also known as Luxembourg City , is a commune with city status, and the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers in southern Luxembourg...
.
Early life
Born in LongwyLongwy
Longwy is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.The inhabitants are known as Longoviciens.-Economy:Longwy has historically been an industrial center of the Lorraine iron mining district. The town is known for its artistic glazed pottery.-History:Longwy initially...
on 10 July 1800, Fresez came to Luxembourg City with his parents in 1802 when his father started to work at the Sept-Fontaines porcelain factory in the Rollingergrund
Rollingergrund
Rollingergrund is an area of north-western Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It forms the majority of the quarter of Rollingergrund-North Belair....
. He attended the Luxembourg Drawing School where he was awarded the first prize when he was just 14, before continuing his art studies at the Royal Academy
The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium
There are two Royal Academies for Science and the Arts in Belgium, corresponding to the two main languages of the country, Dutch and French . The Academies are located in the Palace of Academies in Brussels....
in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. In 1848, Fresez acquired Luxembourg nationality.
Career
After graduating, he worked as an engraver and painter at the Villeroy and Boch porcelain factory in MettlachMettlach
Mettlach is a municipality in the district Merzig-Wadern, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated on the river Saar, approx. 7 km northwest of Merzig, and 30 km south of Trier.Villeroy & Boch's headquarters are in Mettlach....
on the River Saar. There he was also charged with giving art lessons to François Boch
François Boch
François Boch founded a pottery in Audun-le-Tiche in Lorraine in 1748. Approximately 36 years later, Nicholas Villeroy did the same in Frauenberg. In order to compete successfully with British imports, Villeroy and Boch merged in 1836. In 1900, Villeroy & Boch employed 1,000 workers.-References:...
's children. When his father died in 1817, he returned to Luxembourg where he obtained employment in an architect's office. This allowed him to save up for his education in painting and sculputre at the Royal Academy in Brussels where he received a diploma allowing him to become an art teacher. From 1824, he taught first at the Luxembourg Drawing School, then at the prestigious Athénée
Athénée de Luxembourg
The Athénée de Luxembourg , is a high school in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It's commonly called Stater Kolléisch or De Kolléisch, and is the nation's oldest high school.-Brief history:...
. Among his most notable students were the painter and photographer Pierre Brandebourg
Pierre Brandebourg
Pierre Paul Brandebourg, also Peter Brandenbourg was a Luxembourg painter and photographer. He was the first to open a photographic studio in the city of Luxembourg.-Early life and family:...
and the illustrator Michel Engels
Michel Engels
Michel Engels was a Luxembourg illustrator, painter and art teacher who is remembered principally for his sketches of the fortifications of Luxembourg City and for cofounding the Cercle artistique de Luxembourg.-Early life:...
. He spent all his holidays in Antwerp, studying the grand masters leading in 1826 to a diploma from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. At the Athénée he developed a innovative method of art teaching which, welcomed by the school, became a compulsory course for most of the students.
Fresez published views of Luxembourg City, helped Nicolas Liez
Nicolas Liez
Nicolas Liez was a Luxembourg painter, sculptor and architect who is remembered in particular for his lithographs of scenes throughout the Grand Duchy and for his oil painting of the City of Luxembourg.-Early life:...
with his album and, in 1857, published his own Album pittoresque du Grand-Duché dedicated to Prince Henry of the Netherlands. The album contains a collected of lithographs based on 30 of his finest drawings, all considered to be of great documentary value. As a result, Fresez became a member of the Grand-Ducal Archeological Society (Société archéologique du Grand-Duché) and of the Brussels Institute of Fine Arts (Institut des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles). He died on 31 March 1867 in Luxembourg City.
Artwork
Fresez not only produced fine landscapes but also portraits clearly depicting not just lively facial features but also the figure's clothing including, for example, the transparency of the lace. They represent mainly members of the grand-ducal family and other notable local figures. In 1841, he presented a series of watercolour portraits to King William IIWilliam II of the Netherlands
William II was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg from 7 October 1840 until his death in 1849.- Early life and education :...
who was visiting Luxembourg. It was so highly appreciated that the king asked for a copy for his wife. His landscapes, which he began to publish as early as 1826, were also of considerable artistic merit. A similar publication followed in 1833 and in 1855, he published his famous Album pittoresque du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg. The landscapes are extremely detailed, many of them depicting Luxembourg's most beautiful scenes which can usually still be easily identified today. As a result, the works are of great documentary value, especially those of the fortress of Luxembourg before it was dismantled.