RKD STUDIES

After embarking on artistic journeys [2-4] and engaging in social endeavours during his own stay in Rome (1817-1822), Navez settled in Brussels where he founded his own atelier in 1824. In addition to his role as a teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts, with the opening, a new role emerged for him; that of Maître [5]. From this private atelier in the Rue Royale,¹ nine aspiring student artists seized the opportunity to enhance their painting skills in Italy, with Rome as their destination. The social connections established and nurtured by Navez during his own sojourn in Italy proved instrumental in guiding the students through their initial exploration of the Eternal City.

2
François-Joseph Navez,
Church of Cori, ruins of the Temple of Hercules’, 1821,
pencil on paper, 22,5 x 35 cm,
Musée des Beaux-Arts Charleroi, inv. no. 7

United by their financial constraints, Roberti, Storms, and Van Eycken collectively embarked on a journey to Rome from the vibrant artistic hub of Paris on April 25, 1838. A second significant commonality between the three aspirant painters was their one year stay in Italy, a stark contrast to other pupils of Navez who often, travelled alone to the Eternal City with the intention of staying for several years, facilitated by a more favourable financial climate, such as winning the Rome Prize as was the case with Jean François Portaels (1818-1895). These long-term residents had more freedom to chart their own course, which facilitated their artistic and personal growth.

5
Samuel Friedrich Diez,
Portrait of François-Joseph Navez, 1845,
drawing with pencil, brush and ink, 34,8 x 28,3 cm,
Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen Berlin, inv. no. SZ Diez 84