Alfred STEVENS (1823-1906)
The violinist, c. 1880-1885
Oil on canvas
67.5 x 53 cm
Coll. Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, inv. 6832
Bequest of Mr Louis Lazard, Brussels, 1950, in the RMFAB since 1958
The Belgian painter Alfred Stevens (1828, Brussels - 1906, Paris) studied at the Royal Academy of Fine
Arts in Brussels and at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
He often portrays distinguished female figures
in a luxurious outfit in a realistic-impressionist style, using light and shadow and an eye for detail.
His brushstrokes are often in bright, radiant colors. The place of action of Stevens' works is usually a
rich, refined bourgeois interior, featuring, amongst other things, unusual angles of view. The decors of
his paintings are usually upholstered with precious objects and are often a translation of the state of
mind of the person portrayed.
Photo: J. Geleyns
