🖌️🎨Alfred Emile-Leopold Stevens (1823-1906) was a French artist of Belgian origin.

 🖌️🎨Alfred Emile-Leopold Stevens (1823-1906) was a French artist of Belgian origin.
He was born in Brussels, into a family of a French officer who was an avid collector of paintings.
In his youth, the artist studied the basics of painting with professor of painting François-Joseph Navez in Belgium, and then in 1844 he moved to Paris, where he entered the art studios of Camille Roqueplan and Jean-Auguste Ingres.
After graduating from the School of Fine Arts, the artist returned to Brussels and soon painted the picture "Wounded Soldier". This picture was seen by the famous Camille Roqueplan, who strongly advised the young artist to return to Paris and improve his talent.
Alfred Stevens returned to the capital of France and began painting in the studio of his friend Florent Willems.
Soon, Parisian critics noticed the young artist - a very favorable review of the painting "Young Woman Reading" appeared in the press, and the public began to order paintings from the young artist.
Experts say that Alfred Stevens was a painter of one theme: the artist painted socialite ladies dressed in the latest fashion with great skill, sometimes with children, sometimes with small dogs. And he painted very masterfully.
The most fashionable Parisian model, Victorine Meurent, posed for the artist many times - this lady was made famous by Monet's paintings. Art critics say that Victorine is especially good in Stevens' famous painting "The Parisian Sphinx".
If historicism is still present in Alfred's early works, then gradually the artist gives preference to "genre", paints landscapes and even gets carried away by "Japanism".
The popularity of Alfred Emile-Leopold Stevens grows and in 1867 the artist becomes a Knight of the Legion of Honor.
His paintings are sold in Paris and London, and are sold incredibly expensively.
Alfred Stevens lived and worked in Paris almost until his death. He returned to Brussels before his death.
The artist died in 1906.

Source:art.mirtesen, svistanet.