Lovely genre scene in the village was executed in 1855 by Belgian painter and graphic artist Henri-Joseph (Hendrick-Joseph,Hendrik) Dillens (1812 Gent - 1872 Ixelles b. Brüssel). Brother and teacher of Adolphe-Alexandre D., father and teacher of Albert and Julien D. Stud .: Koninkl. ASK, Ghent; until 1830 pupil of Jan Baptist Lodewijk Maes (Maes-Canini). 1843-54 based in Antwerp, then in Brussels. 1832 price. - Romantic, anecdotal. Genres and histories in 17th century costumes, especially with motifs from the life of King Henri IV. The techn. mature Gem., Rad. and Lith. remain in a somewhat stiff, eclectic. Imagery. In large-scale fair comp. D. provides up to 200 portraits. represents.

WORKS BRUSSELS, Senate. GENT, MSK. IEPER, Sted.Mus. KORTRIJK, MSK. LONDON, Christie´s (Aukt. 13.2.1996): A bite for my best friend, sign. LIEGE, MAM. OOSTENDE, MSK. ST.PETERSBURG, Ermitage.

EXHIBITIONS G: Salon: 1831, ´33 Douai; 1835 Valenciennes; 1854, ´60 Brussels; 1859, ´62 Ghent; 1861, ´70 Antwerp / 1867 Paris: WA / 1868 Dublin, R.Hibernian Acad.

Literature: ThB9, 1913 (s.v. D., Hendrik). Berko, 1981; RoyalHibAcad I, 1986; Arto, 1995; DPB I, 1995. - F.M. Huebner, De romant. sign art in Vlaanderen 1780-1850, D.H. 1944; Les salons retrouvés (K Calais et al.), II, [Lille] 1993.

Inscription: signed and dated 1855 lower right.

Technique: oil on mahagony wood panel. Original period gold-plated frame.

Measurements: unframed w 18 1/2" x h 25 2/3" (47 x 65 cm); framed w 28 1/3" x h 35 1/4" (72 x 89,5 cm).

Condition: in very good condition.