Joseph Denis Odevaere
Joseph Denis Odevaere, or Joseph-Désiré Odevaere (2 December 1775, in Bruges – 26 February 1830, in Brussels), was a Neo-Classical painter from the Southern Netherlands (now Belgium). He served as court painter to King William I.
Also recorded as Joseph Dionysius Odevaere · Jozef Odevaere · Joseph-Denis Odevaere · Joseph Odevaere
Joseph Denis Odevaere

P. de Vlamynck · Self-scanned · Public domain
- Born
- 1775. · Bruges.
- Died
- 1830. · Brussels.
- Nationality
- France, Austrian Netherlands and United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
- Occupation
- painter and draftsperson.
- Movements
- Neoclassicism.
- Education
- Beaux-Arts de Paris, French Academy in Rome and Academy of Fine Arts Bruges.
- Known for
- The Last Defenders of Mesolóngion, 22 April 1826, episode from the Greek War of Independence, The Union of Utrecht and Lord Byron on his Death-bed.
- Honours
- Prix de Rome.
- Languages
- French.
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Documentary summary
Joseph Denis Odevaere, or Joseph-Désiré Odevaere (2 December 1775, in Bruges – 26 February 1830, in Brussels), was a Neo-Classical painter from the Southern Netherlands (now Belgium). He served as court painter to King William I.
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Authority files
wikidata · Q1706333 · wikipedia · Joseph Denis Odevaere
In this article
Biography
Biography
Joseph Denis Odevaere studied at Beaux-Arts de Paris, French Academy in Rome and Academy of Fine Arts Bruges. Joseph Cohen de Vries and Pieter-Jan de Vlamynck are recorded as having studied under Joseph Denis Odevaere. The recorded working language is French. Places of work recorded in the authority are Paris and Rome. Works named in the authority record are The Last Defenders of Mesolóngion, 22 April 1826, episode from the Greek War of Independence, The Union of Utrecht and Lord Byron on his Death-bed. Work by Joseph Denis Odevaere is recorded in the collections of Philadelphia Museum of Art, Groeningemuseum, Mu.ZEE - Kunstmuseum aan Zee, Rijksmuseum and Bavarian State Painting Collections. Distinctions recorded are Prix de Rome.
His first art lessons came at the Kunstacademie Brugge, where he studied with François Wynckelman. He then moved to Paris, continuing his studies with Joseph-Benoît Suvée and Jacques-Louis David. In 1804, he was awarded the Prix de Rome for his painting The Death of Phocion. This earned him his first commissions, which he spent a year fulfilling prior to his departure. He then spent eight years at several locations in Italy, copying the old masters and taking particular inspiration from Raphael. While there, he was one of a large group of artists chosen to provide decorations for Napoleon's visit at the Palazzo del Quirinale although, as it turned out, he never produced more than sketches. After that, he spent some time in Paris and received a Gold Medal from Napoleon. While there, he also worked with Godefroy Engelmann, one of the first lithographers in France. An exhibition in Ghent two years later led to his appointment as court painter to King William I of the Netherlands in 1815. In this position, he began a campaign for the return of several major art works that had been looted from Bruges by the French Army; including pieces by Michelangelo, Jan van Eyck, Hans Memling, and Gerard David. In thanks for his successful efforts, the City Council of Bruges voted to award him a gold medal in 1816. He was elected a fourth class corresponding member living abroad of the Royal Institute of the Netherlands in 1816. From 1825 to 1829, he painted several works in support of the Greek War of Independence and styled himself "Joseph Dionysius Odevaere". He also wrote some treatises on art and was a regular, highly opinionated contributor to local periodicals. In 1818, he married Sylvie de la Rue (1796–1845). After his death, in 1835, she married Joseph Van der Linden, Secretary of the Provisional Government of Belgium. He was a founding member of the first Société des douze.

Burgemeester De Croeser ontvangt Napoleon Bonaparte op het Brugse stadhuis in 1803 - Joseph Denis Odevaere - Musea Brugge
Joseph Denis Odevaere

Portret van een voornaam man met zijn dochter en een jachthond - Joseph Denis Odevaere - Musea Brugge
Joseph Denis Odevaere
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
Explore 1775–1830
The full dated record · 3 entries
1775
Joseph Denis Odevaere born at Bruges.
1805
Friendship portrait of the artists François Wynckelman, François van der Donckt and Joseph Odevaere (Groeningemuseum).
1830
Joseph Denis Odevaere died at Brussels.
Places
Named by the record
Places
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Bruges.
Birth place
Brussels.
Death place
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
Bibliography printed in the source article · 5
- H. Hyman, Joseph-Désiré Odevaere, in: Biographie nationale de Belgique, XVI, 1901, col. 68–74.
- Albert Schouteet, Kunstschilder Jozef Odevaere en de terugkeer van geroofde kunstschatten uit Frankrijk naar Brugge in 1816, in: Album archivaris Jos Desmet, Brugge, 1964.
- Denis Coekelberghs, Les peintres belges à Rome de 1700 à 1830, Academia Belgica, 1976.
- M. Guedron, Suvée, Odevaere, Kinsoen et Ducq: quatre preintres Brugeois à Paris au temps du néo-classicisme, in: Jaarboek 1995–96, Stedelijke Musea Brugge, pgs.238-254.
- Andries Van Den Abeele, Prefect Bernard-François de Chauvelin en de schilder Joseph Odevaere, in: Handelingen van het genootschap voor geschiedenis, Brugge, 2004, pgs.365-374.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q1706333: Joseph Denis OdevaereWikimedia Foundation
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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