Adrien Ferdinand De Braekeleer - “The Savoyards”

Beautiful etching entitled "Les Savoyards" by the South Dutch painter and etcher Ferdinand De Braekeleer (Antwerp, February 12, 1792 – there, May 16, 1883). He is known as a history and genre painter. He is also called Ferdinand de Braekeleer the Elder to distinguish him from his son. Ferdinand was born to poor parents (Joannes de Braekeleer and Joanna Segers) and after their deaths (in 1801 and 1804 respectively) he came under the care of his uncle Norbertus, superior of the Minimen Fathers in Antwerp. He was admitted to the Art School for Orphans of the history painter Mattheus Ignatius van Bree in Antwerp. He later continued his training at the Antwerp Academy. He won several prizes with his paintings and made himself noticed in the Paris salon in 1813 with his "Aeneas carrying Anchyses" (a lost work). In his younger years, Ferdinand painted whatever made the most money, and his early works include genre, historical and religious paintings. After winning the Antwerp Prix de Rome in 1819 as the first laureate with a history painting "Tobias restores his father's sight", he left for Rome in December 1819 to continue his training there, followed in August 1821 by his teacher Mattheus Ignatius from Bree. Together they visited various Italian cities: Ancona, Bologna, Florence, Naples and Venice. There is still a sketchbook from that time with picturesque views of Rome, which is located in the Royal Albert I Library in Brussels. After his return in April 1823, De Braekeleer settled in his native city of Antwerp. There he created genre paintings, inspired by episodes from the lives of old Flemish masters. Dimensions: etching 16x12.5cm - plate 19x16cm - paper 32x26.5cm The item is shipped worldwide via PostNL International service. The shipping costs include proof of delivery (registered) plus insurance against loss or damage with a maximum insured value of 500 euros. If the auction item is sold for less than 50 euros, the item will only be shipped with track & trace.