Nestor Cambier
Encyclopedia
Nestor Cambier Belgian
artist and draftsman whose portraits were compared favourably with those of John Singer Sargent
but who now is largely forgotten. He also painted landscapes, city and interior views, still-lives, murals and stained glass, and also produced numerous pencil and chalk drawings.
) in Belgium
. He studied at the college of Ixelles, Brussels
before entering the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts
in Brussels, studying portraiture under the masters Joseph Stallaert and Gustave Vanaise until 1900. At twenty-one, he had already exhibited at the Brussels Salon, with a portrait of a young girl and a landscape.
with pictures of a Brabançon
innkeeper, a colourful Bazaar, a large tableau of the Cid and the Leper, and a study in pastels of Salome
.
He went to the United States
(1906–1909), working first at Ascenzo’s studios. He continued to paint portraits and in 1907 he exhibited at the Academy of Fine Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
where he won the John Wanamaker prize. Later, he designed large stained glass windows for the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart,
, Newark, New Jersey
, while it was still under construction. (However recent investigation shows that delays in construction resulted in the 214 stained glass windows not being completed until 1950, by when they had been re-designed by the maker, Franz Zettler.)
He returned to Belgium in 1909, where he painted further portraits and extended his painting to landscapes. In 1914, he held an exhibition of his works at Blankenberge
, Belgium, where he was almost trapped when Germany invaded Belgium at the start of the First World War, and which resulted in the loss of many of his canvasses.
He then spent 19 years intermittently in the United Kingdom
(1914–1933), and in 1915 and 1916 he donated some of his works for auction on behalf of the British Red Cross, reaching prices comparable with the best English painters. In 1923, he became a member of the North British Academy of Arts
in 1923. This period was notable in that he became a resident guest of Lord and Lady Barber at Culham Court, near Henley, Oxfordshire
. During this time, he painted numerous portraits of different kinds of Lady Barber (1869–1932), as well as pictures of the interior of Culham Court and the surrounding countryside.
, London
, Paris
, Rheims and Lausanne
.
Perhaps the largest collection of paintings (25, plus numerous photographs and memorabilia) by Cambier are held by The Barber Institute of Fine Arts which was founded by Dame Martha Constance Hattie Barber (1869–1933) at Birmingham University, who married the solicitor and property developer, William Henry Barber, a highly successful businessman who made his fortune in the expanding suburbs of Birmingham. By his mid thirties he and Lady Barber were able to retire to Culham Court, an 18th-century estate in Oxfordshire. Between 1914 and 1930, Cambier was a frequent visitor and resident at Culham Court where he painted landscapes of the estate and painted eighteen portraits commissioned by Lady Barber as presents for her husband. Lord Barber died in 1927, and Lady Barber founded the Institute in 1932 to which all the paintings were transferred. Otherwise, all his other paintings appear to be scattered and in private hands.
Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Illustrations of volumes by R. Bazin, Comte Carton de Wiart (Mes Vacances av Congo), Charcot.
Original drawing on the fly leaf of a catalogue. Type Brugeois, portrait sketch in colour pencil ca. 9 x 7 cm.
Vivid portrait sketch made by the artist while visiting the Bruges
Salon of 1913-14, made on the fly-leave of the Salon Catalogue: Cercle Artistique Brugeois, XXXVIe Salon, in-8°, 21.5 x 11 cm, stapled, original stiff wrapper. Nestor Cambier was represented by 5 paintings. Of these 4 were marked in red by him with the remark that they were stolen by the Germans at Blankenberg.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
artist and draftsman whose portraits were compared favourably with those of John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings...
but who now is largely forgotten. He also painted landscapes, city and interior views, still-lives, murals and stained glass, and also produced numerous pencil and chalk drawings.
Early life and Training
He was born in Couillet, (now part of CharleroiCharleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
) in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. He studied at the college of Ixelles, 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...
before entering the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts
Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts
The Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels is an art school, founded in 1711.The faculty and alumni of ARBA include some of the most famous names in Belgian painting, sculpture, and architecture: James Ensor, Rene Magritte, and Paul Delvaux...
in Brussels, studying portraiture under the masters Joseph Stallaert and Gustave Vanaise until 1900. At twenty-one, he had already exhibited at the Brussels Salon, with a portrait of a young girl and a landscape.
Professional life
In 1903, N. Cambier exhibited at the Triennial Salon of Beaux Arts at BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
with pictures of a Brabançon
Brabançon
Historically, the adjective Brabançon refers to a native of the Duchy of Brabant. It can also refer to:*Brabançon horse - see Belgian *Petit Brabançon, type of toy dog...
innkeeper, a colourful Bazaar, a large tableau of the Cid and the Leper, and a study in pastels of Salome
Salome
Salome , the Daughter of Herodias , is known from the New Testament...
.
He went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1906–1909), working first at Ascenzo’s studios. He continued to paint portraits and in 1907 he exhibited at the Academy of Fine Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
where he won the John Wanamaker prize. Later, he designed large stained glass windows for the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart,
, Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, while it was still under construction. (However recent investigation shows that delays in construction resulted in the 214 stained glass windows not being completed until 1950, by when they had been re-designed by the maker, Franz Zettler.)
He returned to Belgium in 1909, where he painted further portraits and extended his painting to landscapes. In 1914, he held an exhibition of his works at Blankenberge
Blankenberge
Blankenberge is a town and a municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Blankenberge proper and the settlement of Uitkerke.On 1 January 2010 Blankenberge had a total population of 18,907...
, Belgium, where he was almost trapped when Germany invaded Belgium at the start of the First World War, and which resulted in the loss of many of his canvasses.
He then spent 19 years intermittently in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(1914–1933), and in 1915 and 1916 he donated some of his works for auction on behalf of the British Red Cross, reaching prices comparable with the best English painters. In 1923, he became a member of the North British Academy of Arts
North British Academy of Arts
The North British Academy of Arts was an art institution of Newcastle upon Tyne in northern England.-Overview:The Academy, sometimes known as the North British Academy of Arts, Science, Literature, and Music, was located in the Claremount Buildings on the western side of Barras Bridge on the...
in 1923. This period was notable in that he became a resident guest of Lord and Lady Barber at Culham Court, near Henley, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. During this time, he painted numerous portraits of different kinds of Lady Barber (1869–1932), as well as pictures of the interior of Culham Court and the surrounding countryside.
Posthumous Fame
Following his death in Brussels in 1957, a retrospective show was held in Brussels in 1967 at the Baron René Steens gallery. His works are allegedly displayed in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Rheims and Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
.
Perhaps the largest collection of paintings (25, plus numerous photographs and memorabilia) by Cambier are held by The Barber Institute of Fine Arts which was founded by Dame Martha Constance Hattie Barber (1869–1933) at Birmingham University, who married the solicitor and property developer, William Henry Barber, a highly successful businessman who made his fortune in the expanding suburbs of Birmingham. By his mid thirties he and Lady Barber were able to retire to Culham Court, an 18th-century estate in Oxfordshire. Between 1914 and 1930, Cambier was a frequent visitor and resident at Culham Court where he painted landscapes of the estate and painted eighteen portraits commissioned by Lady Barber as presents for her husband. Lord Barber died in 1927, and Lady Barber founded the Institute in 1932 to which all the paintings were transferred. Otherwise, all his other paintings appear to be scattered and in private hands.
Dated works:.
Paintings held by the Barber Institute of Fine Arts marked *| 1900 | Portrait of a young girl and a landscape | ||
| 1901 | La Danse de Salome | 19.1” x 10.6” | Pastel |
| 1906 | Vue du Pont de Brooklyn, New York | 15.7” x 23.2” | Oil/canvas |
| 1907 | Portraits in the United States | ||
| 1908 | Stained glass for Newark Cathedral, New Jersey, USA | ||
| 1909 | Portrait of Cardinal Mercier, popularised as a print | ||
| 1910 | Portrait of the violinist César Thomson | ||
| 1911 | Portrait of the minister Jules Renkin | ||
| 1912 | Procession in Brabant | ||
| 1913 | Landscape of the surroundings of Durbuy | ||
| 1914-1923 | *15 Portraits of Lady Barber including one of her in a riding-habit, shown at the Royal Academy | ||
| 1916-1917 | *6 paintings of gardens and rock gardens at Culham Court | ||
| 1917 | The Triumph of the Allies, a huge mural for the military institute at Port-Villez (Eure) | ||
| 1917 | *An interior at Culham Court | ||
| 1917? | Les Blue Bells dans la forêt (Culham Court) | ||
| 1917? | The dining-room at Culham Court | ||
| 1917? | *Le Miroir (Culham Court) | ||
| 1920? | *Portrait of an unidentified widow | ||
| 1924 | Louis (owned by L. Calvete) | 13" x 12" | Pastel |
| 1930 | Salon at the house of the Duke of Westminster | 35.5" x 40.6" | Oil/panel |
| 1930 | Drawing dedicated to I.Calvete | ||
| 1931 | * A Flower Piece | ||
| 1935 | Painting of Queen Astrid | ||
Undated pictures:
unless otherwise indicated| Le combat de Kato. | 9.1" x 11" | Oil |
| Napoléon à l'intérieur de la bibliothèque de la Malmaison | 14.96" x 18.90" | Oil |
| Jeune femme en blanc dans un intérieur. | 16.54" x 12.60" | Oil |
| Coin de mon jardin | 16" x 12" | Oil |
| Elégante au jardin | 15.7" x 11.8" | Oil |
| Elégante dans un intérieur | 14.2" x 11" | Oil |
| Fillette assise sur le canapé rouge | 18.5" x 14.2" | Oil |
| La salon de la Comtesse de Bousies á Bruxelles | 9.1" x 11.4" | Oil |
| Le chien au nœud vert | 20.1" x 9.8" | Oil |
| Les baigneuses | 11" x 16.3" | Oil |
| Troupeau de vaches et Moutons dans les ruines | 13.4" x 17.3" | Oil |
| Vallée de la Meuse ensoleillée. | 15.4" x 19.3" | Oil |
| Bord de Meuse | 9.1" x 11" | Oil |
| Vue de Bruges | 9.3" x 14.6" | Oil |
| Le diner este servi | 65" x 52" | Oil/Panel |
| Interior of a church | 23.62" x 19.69" | Oil/Panel |
| Grand place de Bruxelles | Oil/Panel | |
| Church Interior. | 23.6" x 19.7" | Panel |
| Intérieur | 19.7" x 25.6" | Panel |
| L'alcove verte | 12".6 x 16.1" | Panel |
| Intérieur | 19.7" x 25.6" | Panel |
| Intérieur d'Eglise | 23.6" x 19.7" | Panel |
| La Promenade | Oil/Canvas | |
| Dans de jardin de roses | 25.2" x 19.7" | Oil/Canvas |
| Paysage enneigé avec église | 32" x 41.2" | Oil/Canvas |
| Intérieur | 12.2" x 11" | Canvas |
| Intérieur | 12.2" x 11" | Canvas |
| Untitled | 25.6" x 21.7" | Painting |
| Maternité | 18.90" x 12.20" | Pastel |
| L'enfant à l'orange | 21.06" x 10.24" | Pastel |
| Salon of the Belgian Embassy in London | 17.3" x 23.6" | Pastel |
| L'enfant á l'orange | 21.3" x 10.2" | Pastel |
| Park View | 5.5" x 8.3 | Pastel |
| L'église de Dave sur Meuse | 13" x 10.2" | Drawing |
| "Forést" (paysage) | 5.3" x 7.3" | Drawing |
| Swans gliding on the water alongside the Saint-Jean Hôpital at Bruges. | (Owned by Mme. Ledieux in Paris?} | |
| Grange de l'Abbaye Ter Doest a Lissewege | 13.6" X 15.6" | Charcoal |
| L'Eglise a Landelies (Charleroi) | 15.4" x 13.8" | Crayon |
| Sans Titre (Femme aux Chaussures Roses) | 16.3" x 9.6" | Wash |
| Sans Titre (Paysage) | 13.8" x 15" | Pencil |
| Sans Titre (Interieur) | 11" x 13.2") | Pencil |
| Vechmael (Limbourg) | 15.7" x 13.8" | Crayon |
| La salon de la Comtesse de Bousies à Bruxelles | 23" x 29" | |
| Vue de la Tamise à Londres | ||
| The choir of l'Eglise Sta-Croix at Ixelles | ||
| Silene drunk held by a faun and a bacchante | ||
Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Illustrations of volumes by R. Bazin, Comte Carton de Wiart (Mes Vacances av Congo), Charcot.
Original drawing on the fly leaf of a catalogue. Type Brugeois, portrait sketch in colour pencil ca. 9 x 7 cm.
Vivid portrait sketch made by the artist while visiting the Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
Salon of 1913-14, made on the fly-leave of the Salon Catalogue: Cercle Artistique Brugeois, XXXVIe Salon, in-8°, 21.5 x 11 cm, stapled, original stiff wrapper. Nestor Cambier was represented by 5 paintings. Of these 4 were marked in red by him with the remark that they were stolen by the Germans at Blankenberg.
Undated Portraits:
| 60 x 43.8 | Oil/Canvas |
| Baron Cartier de Marchienne, Belgian Ambassador in London |
| Joe Chamberlain, in the gallery of the Union Committee Room |
| Mrs Edward Tchurlow, shown at the Belgian Art Exhibition at Brighton in 1930 |
| Countess Pierrefeu Villeneuve |
| Baron of Lambert |
| The Viscounts of Pierrefeu |
| Sir William Holdsworth, painted at the University of Oxford |
| The Dean of the Law Faculty at Birmingham. |
External links
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_British_Academy_of_Arts
- http://users.skynet.be/spybel/cambier_nestor.htm
- http://www.findartinfo.com
- http://www.opac-fabritius.be/fr/F_database.htm
- http://www.thepcf.org.uk