Timeline

A painter of historical and genre scenes, portraits and Orientalist subjects, Portaëls trained at the Academy of Fine Art in Brussels. He later moved to Paris where he studied under Navez and the history painter Delaroche. It was Delaroche who inspired his interest in Orientalist subjects and in 1843 he embarked on an extensive tour of Spain, Italy, Egypt and Palestine, returning to Europe in 1847. He was one of the first Belgian artists to paint Orientalist subjects at first hand and he achieved great success exhibiting paintings from his tour. In 1876 he was appointed Professor, and later Director of his alma mater, the Academy of Fine Art in Brussels, having already been appointed Director of the Gand Academy. As an artist he had a considerable influence in Belgium and many of his students went on to become acclaimed artists in their own right. He was made Chevalier of the order of Leopold in 1852.

Some of Portaëls’ Orientalist paintings can be found in the museums of Brussels and Stuttgart.

The Pearl Necklace displays Portaëls’ talent as a portraitist as well as his skilful depiction of sumptuous Oriental costume and jewellery.