Nicolas Liez
Encyclopedia
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
.
in the French department Vosges
on 14 October 1809, Liez was the son of Marie Weber, a Luxembourger, and Jean-Joseph Liez, a cobbler. In 1812, when he was 3 years old, the family moved to Luxembourg where his father took up Luxembourg nationality. After attending the local school, Liez studied drawing with Jean-Baptiste Fresez
at the Ecole de Dessin where he was awarded the silver medal in 1827. He continued his studies at Charleroi
and Mons
in Belgium where he learnt the art of lithography
.
His collection of lithographs published in his "Voyage pittoresque à travers le Grand Duché de Luxembourg" (1834) is considered to have been compiled when he was at the height of his artistic ability. The work may well have led to his employment at the Villeroy and Boch pottery factory in Luxembourg City
. Here he decorated porcelain with the scenes shown in the lithographs. In 1860, he acquired his own porcelain factory in Audun-le-Tiche
but it was a failure and he was forced to sell out. In 1870, he left Luxembourg for Dresden
where he became artistic director at the Villeroy and Boch factory there. He died in Dresden on 30 August 1892, leaving four children.
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...
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
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 NeufchâteauNeufchâteau, Vosges
Neufchâteau is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.Inhabitants are called Néocastriens.-Geography:Positioned at the confluence of the Rivers Meuse and Mouzon, the little town dominates the Vosges Plain...
in the French department Vosges
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
on 14 October 1809, Liez was the son of Marie Weber, a Luxembourger, and Jean-Joseph Liez, a cobbler. In 1812, when he was 3 years old, the family moved to Luxembourg where his father took up Luxembourg nationality. After attending the local school, Liez studied drawing with Jean-Baptiste Fresez
Jean-Baptiste Fresez
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.-Early life:...
at the Ecole de Dessin where he was awarded the silver medal in 1827. He continued his studies at Charleroi
Charleroi
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...
and Mons
Mons
Mons is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality includes the old communes of Cuesmes, Flénu, Ghlin, Hyon, Nimy, Obourg, Baudour , Jemappes, Ciply, Harmignies, Harveng, Havré, Maisières, Mesvin, Nouvelles,...
in Belgium where he learnt the art of lithography
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
.
Career
Throughout his life, despite his unusual versatility, Liez had difficulty in earning a living from art alone. Despite his work as a painter, lithographer, sculptor and decorator, he still found it necessary to teach, even on Sundays for those who had jobs during the week. He renovated the facades of old buildings and sculpted monuments and gravestones. Liez is also credited with bringing photography to Luxembourg.His collection of lithographs published in his "Voyage pittoresque à travers le Grand Duché de Luxembourg" (1834) is considered to have been compiled when he was at the height of his artistic ability. The work may well have led to his employment at the Villeroy and Boch pottery factory in Luxembourg City
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...
. Here he decorated porcelain with the scenes shown in the lithographs. In 1860, he acquired his own porcelain factory in Audun-le-Tiche
Audun-le-Tiche
Audun-le-Tiche is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-Location and rail links:Audun-le-Tiche is located adjacent to Esch-sur-Alzette, on the border with Luxembourg, and close to the borders of Germany, and Belgium....
but it was a failure and he was forced to sell out. In 1870, he left Luxembourg for Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
where he became artistic director at the Villeroy and Boch factory there. He died in Dresden on 30 August 1892, leaving four children.