Jean-Baptiste Capronnier facts for kids

Three scenes of the legend of the Miraculous Sacrament. Stained glass windows in the Cathédrale of Saints-Michel-et-Gudule, Brussels, by Jean-Baptiste Capronnier (c. 1870)

Jean-Baptiste Capronnier (born February 1, 1814 – died July 31, 1891) was a talented Belgian artist. He is most famous for his beautiful stained glass paintings. He played a big part in bringing back the art of glass-painting in his time. Capronnier was also very interested in insects, especially butterflies and moths.

A Master of Stained Glass

Jean-Baptiste Capronnier was born in Brussels in 1814. He became well-known for his work with stained glass. He carefully studied the old ways of making these colorful windows. He also became very skilled at fixing old stained glass pieces. He even made copies of old designs for the Brussels archaeological museum.

Capronnier created amazing stained glass windows for many churches. You can find his work in Brussels, including the Église Royale Sainte-Marie. He also made windows for churches in Bruges, Amsterdam, and other cities. His art was so popular that people in France, Italy, and England asked him to create windows for them too.

In 1855, there was a big art show in Paris called the Exposition Universelle. Capronnier won the only medal given for stained glass painting there! This showed how truly skilled he was. He passed away in Schaerbeek in 1891.

An Artist Who Loved Insects

Besides being a painter, Jean-Baptiste Capronnier was also an entomologist. An entomologist is a scientist who studies insects. He was especially interested in Lepidoptera, which are butterflies and moths. His passion for insects led him to become a member of the Royal Belgian Entomological Society.