Nicaise de Keyser

Nicaise de Keyser (1836) by Charles Baugniet

Nicaise de Keyser (26 August 1813 Zandvliet - 17 July 1887 Antwerp), was a Belgian painter of portraits and historical tableaux. He received his painting tuition at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts under Joseph Jacobs and Bree, before leaving for Italy in 1839. He married the genre painter Isabella Telghuys on 6 October 1840.

Battle of the Golden Spurs - by Nicaise de Keyser

His painting of the Battle of the Golden Spurs, which was exhibited at the Brussels Salon in 1836, shows the French commander, Robert II of Artois, surrendering his sword shortly before being slaughtered by the Flemish infantry. Seeing the painting is said to have inspired Hendrik Conscience, to write his book "De Leeuw van Vlaanderen" (The Lion of Flanders) and give the starring role to Robert III of Flanders, who had been nowhere near the battle. The success of de Keyser's work led shortly after to his less impressive work, the Battle of Worringen of 1288.

In 1855 de Keyser succeeded Gustave Wappers on his dismissal as director of the Antwerp Academy. Starting in 1862 de Keyser depicted the Flemish School in a series of decorative paintings, destined for the Antwerpse Museum and Academy. These works were moved at the end of the nineteenth century, to the new Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. In 1873 de Keyser was awarded the Prussian "Pour le Mérite".

Artwork

• 

  Leopold II of Belgium

• 

  Louise-Marie d'Orléans

• 

  Queen Olga of Württemberg, 1848

• 

  "Petrarch and Laura"

• 

  "Battle of the Golden Spurs"

• 

  William II, King of the Netherlands

External links

Media related to Nicaise de Keyser at Wikimedia Commons

• Commemoration article

Persondata
Name	Keyser, Nicaise de
Alternative names
Short description	painter
Date of birth	26 August 1813
Place of birth	Zandvliet, Belgium
Date of death	17 July 1887
Place of death	Antwerp, Belgium