WILLEMS Joseph

Beautiful bust in terra cota representing a playfull young boy smiling while pressing his fingers to his cheeks. Signed and dated 1886 on the back. 

Size: H 58cm

Belgian School 

Lit: Joseph Willems trains at the academy of Mechelen where he will be the pupil of Joseph Tuerlinckx. In 1867 he won the competition of the Society of Fine Arts of Antwerp with his model ‘Ruth gleaning the fields of Booz’ which will be executed in marble. In 1868 he was at the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris. In 1872 he was appointed professor at the Academy of Mechelen and obtained important orders for the cities of Antwerp, Mechelen and Tournai (ea., Tympanum of the Antwerp Flemish theatre, statues for the Tournai and Mechelen courthouses). Subsequently, he won many medals at the Universal Exhibitions (London 1884, Adelaide 1887, Melbourne 1888, Chicago 1893, Berlin 1991 and Bordeaux 1895). This bronzes are cast at the Compagnie des Bronzes in Brussels.