Pierre Olivier Joseph Coomans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pierre Olivier Joseph Coomans
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Self-portrait with son Oscar
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| Born |
Pierre Olivier Joseph Coomans
28 June 1816 |
| Died | 31 December 1889 (aged 73) |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Education | Antwerp Academy |
| Known for | Painting |
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Notable work
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Attila's Last Charge in the Plains of Châlons-sur-Marne |
| Movement | Academicism, Romanticism, Neo-Pompeianism |
| Spouse(s) | Zoé van Male de Brachene, Adelaïde Lacroix |
| Awards | Vermeil Medal, Brussels |
Pierre Olivier Joseph Coomans was a famous painter and illustrator. He was born in Brussels, Belgium on June 28, 1816. His father, Josse-Joseph Coomans, wrote novels and poems. His mother was Cécile Lesprit. Joseph Coomans became one of Belgium's most well-known painters in the 1800s. He painted historical events, everyday life scenes, and beautiful landscapes.
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Early Life and Art Training
Joseph Coomans was a talented artist even at 16 years old. He studied painting with Pieter van Hanselaere in Ghent. He showed his painting "A Young Greek Shepherd" at his first art show. Later, he went to the academy in Antwerp. There, he learned from famous romantic painters like Nicaise de Keyser and Gustave Wappers.
When he was 19, Coomans helped illustrate a book about Belgian history. He created 52 engravings for the book, which was written by his older brother. He also wrote a novel called Gzana, which was about Algerian history. He married Zoé van Male de Brachene.
Royal Work and Travel
In 1843, Queen Louise-Marie of Orleans asked Coomans to go to Algeria. He was to follow the French army there as a painter. He worked with Marshal Thomas-Robert Bugeaud and met another military painter, Horace Vernet. Coomans visited Algeria three times (in 1843, 1844, and 1845). These trips made him interested in Orientalism, a style of art that focused on North Africa. He painted Algerian landscapes, Arab people, dancers, and battle scenes. He showed these paintings at art fairs in Antwerp and Brussels.
In 1847, he married Zoé van Male de Brachene. Her first husband had died in Algeria. Their son, Oscar, was born in 1848. Sadly, his wife died soon after Oscar's birth. This was a very difficult time for Coomans. Even though his painting, "Attila's Last Charge in the Plains of Châlons-sur-Marne", won a special medal that year, he stopped painting for two years. Instead, he traveled to Italy and Palestine.
From 1854 to 1855, Coomans joined his military friends in the Crimean War. He worked as a military painter for General Aimable Pélissier. During this time, he painted historical scenes from the Middle Ages and portraits. He often used models in his studio or outside. His portraits were very popular with collectors in Europe. They showed people in interesting costumes with beautiful jewelry. He also painted children playing, which was a popular subject in art at that time.
Inspired by Ancient Rome
In 1855, Coomans became very ill in Varna. He left the war and went to get better in Constantinople, then Greece, and Italy. In 1856, he married Adelaïde Lacroix in Albania. They moved to Naples and lived there until 1860. While in Naples, he saw the old city of Pompeii being dug up. This inspired him to create paintings about daily life in ancient times, in a style called Neo-Pompeian.
Coomans moved to Paris in 1860. His first daughter, Heva, was born there in May 1860. His second daughter, Diana, was born in August 1861. Coomans often showed his paintings at the Paris Salons, which were big art exhibitions. His paintings of family life in ancient Rome sold very well. He became wealthy enough to build his own Pompeian-style house near the Bois de Boulogne between 1874 and 1877. This house is no longer there.
His art became famous around the world, partly because his paintings were made into photographs and prints. Coomans also taught his two daughters, Heva and Diana. They both became successful painters, just like their father. They also specialized in painting people from ancient Pompeii, using a similar style and colors.
Last Trip to America
In October 1888, when he was 72 years old, Coomans and his daughters traveled to Philadelphia and New York. They were very popular with New York society. But the trip back home in June 1889 made him very tired. He passed away on December 31, 1889, in Boulogne-on-Seine, France. He is buried in the old cemetery of Boulogne-Billancourt.
Gallery
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Young Peasant Boy
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Girl with a doll
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Kinder
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A young woman of leisure
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Odalisque
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An oriental beauty 1879
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A classical beauty
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The jewellery box
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Return from the grape harvest
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Preparing for the festival
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Roman banquet
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The panic
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The reward
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The visit
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A Difficult Choice
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The Favorite Pet or Feathered Friend
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Feeding The Turtle
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Sappho at Mitylene, 1876
