RKD STUDIES

This study utilizes qualitative correspondence analysis to explore letters written by three students to their mentor, the neoclassical painter François-Joseph Navez, during their Italy trip in 1838-1839. The analysis reveals the strategic role of Navez’s mentorship and the use of pre-existing networks in shaping the young artists' experiences in 19th-century Rome. It emphasise Navez's influence on his students. More importantly, it underscores the significance of written communication in maintaining artistic networks, demonstrating how Navez’s guidance evolved as his students navigated Rome.

The letters from Navez’ pupils illustrate a skilful use of their mentor's connections to find their way across the Roman artistic landscape, while remaining in close contact with their master in Brussels. For instance, revealing thanks for introductions to established artists in Rome: ‘I have also benefited from the advice of Mr. Ingres, whom you were kind enough to recommend us to’ as well as accounts of delivering Navez’s correspondence to his acquaintances: ‘we had the pleasure of delivering to Mr. Verstappen the letter you had addressed to him’ and requests for help in obtaining favourable placements at Belgian salons: ‘you would do me a great favor by ensuring that it is well placed.’¹ Through the correspondence, Navez not only sought to channel his students' enthusiasm, but also to temper their doubts about conflicting artistic tastes in Brussels and potential financial concerns. Initially leaning on Navez, the students gradually developed their own connections in the artistic and social landscape of Rome. Nevertheless, their strategic choices aligned with Navez’s French-speaking circles in Rome, particularly those associated with Ingres, while they delicately balanced between their experiences in Rome and their home base in Brussels.

Beyond the personal and artistic growth of the students, their time in Rome proved beneficial to others. For the local network, the presence of the young Belgians provided an opportunity to maintain ties with Navez (and Brussels) while sharing expertise with the new generation. More importantly, for Navez himself, engaging in correspondence was a crucial tool not only for offering ongoing support and advice to his students but also for sustaining his own network in Rome. Through these letters, he managed the content and delivery of his messages, thereby strengthening his role in the international art world and indirectly promoting the Brussels School of painting.

The foundation of this strategic network was built on mutual respect and trust. Therefore, these social connections served as a resource for both Navez and his pupils, a form of social capital, encapsulating the tools acquired through their social connections.² These social connections offered trust, collaboration, information, and support, which were instrumental in securing opportunities, such as prominent exhibition placements. In this regard, this perspective is particularly insightful, as it suggests that understanding artists’ networks can shed new light on unintentionally overlooked actors in art history, such as some of Navez’s students. By examining these intricate social dynamics, we gain a deeper understanding of how artistic trajectories were shaped and influenced.³

As the primary source for this study consists of a collection of letters written to Navez, it presents some limitations, as it provides access to only one side of the story. Additionally, interpreting sentiments and intentions solely on written communication may lead to a subjective, or at least incomplete understanding of the students' feelings and motives. Furthermore, the possibility of curation bias – at the time of the deposition of the corpus at KBR, is considerable. For these reasons, this initial study of François-Joseph Navez's network does not pretend to provide a comprehensive analysis of the broader artistic and social context in which Navez and his students were active. For a more thorough understanding, additional quantitative and qualitative research is required. Despite these limitations, this study aims to enhance our understanding of the role of support systems in the 19th-century art scene from a transnational perspective. It also suggests that opportunities lie ahead for new approaches to explore the connections between artists' successes and their network.

The research presented here was conducted as part of my master's thesis at KU Leuven, supervised by Prof. Dr. Katlijne Van der Stichelen and co-supervised by Dr. Wendy Wiertz. This article was written within the framework of my doctoral studies under the FWO Junior project ‘Networking in the Past’ (G022023N), with Prof. Dr. Julie Birkholz, Prof. Dr. Marjan Sterckx, and Prof. Dr. Christophe Verbruggen as supervisors. Thank you to the Manuscript Department of KBR for giving me access to the letters.