3/4 portrait of a seated man wearing an academic robe with a medal on his chest, holding a stack of books on his lap; man has thick light-colored hair and wears pince-nez glasses

Portrait of Victor Chauvin, 1891

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Victor Chauvin (1844–1913) was a professor of Arabic and Hebrew the University of Liège. He wrote books on Middle Eastern literature and folklore, biblical and Islamic history, and compiled a bibliography on works by or pertaining to Arabs published in Europe. His works are important enough that some have been reprinted in the 21st century.

Adrien de Witte was one of the most respected artists of Liège in Belgium. As a young man he spent five years in Rome, where he resided at the Darchis Foundation, an institution founded in 1699 for the purpose of supporting young men from Liège in their efforts to study art and theology in Rome. He returned to Liège where he was appointed professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in 1885 and taught there until 1921. He was director of the Academy from 1910 to 1913.

The extremely fine lines and detail seen here are quite different from the broader work seen in some de Witte's less formal portraits.

Details
Title
Portrait of Victor Chauvin
Artist Life
Liège 1850–Liège 1935
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2021.69.35
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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3/4 portrait of a seated man wearing an academic robe with a medal on his chest, holding a stack of books on his lap; man has thick light-colored hair and wears pince-nez glasses