André Cluysenaar

André Edmond Alfred Cluysenaar (31 May 1872, Saint-Gilles - 17 April 1939, Uccle) was a Belgian painter. He was especially known for portraits and female figures.

Self-portrait (c.1910)
Herbert Henry Asquith (c.1919)

Life and work

He was member of the Cluysenaar family, descendant from a long line of architects who originated in Aachen, where the family name was spelled "Klausener". Perhaps the best-known among these was his grandfather Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar. His wife, Alice Gordon, was related to Lord Byron.

He received his first art lessons from his father, then studied with François-Joseph Navez. Initially, he worked as a sculptor, but devoted himself entirely to painting after 1902. He was firmly grounded in the romantic style at first; producing still lifes and genre scenes, but later turned to impressionism and painted mostly female figures, often semi-nude. He also executed monumental ceiling paintings for the City Hall in Saint-Gilles.

During World War I, he lived in London where he established a reputation painting portraits of notable people, including the Royal Family, which were done in a more commercial style using Alfred Stevens as a model. Most of these portraits may be seen in the National Gallery.

Honours

References
  1. Royal Order of H.M. King Albert I on 14.11.1919
  2. Royal order of 7.4.1934

    Further reading
    • Fanny Cluysenaar,: Les Cluysenaar, une famille d'artistes. Brussels, Weissenbruch, 1928
    • Madelaine Delacre and Marjorie Pym: André Cluysenaar, portraitiste, Verlag Phototypie Thill, 1937

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