Alfred Stevens (1823 – 1906) - Moonlight on the Sea

Alfred Stevens
Brussels 1823 – 1906 Paris
Belgian Painter

'Moonlight on the Sea'

Signature: signed lower right and dated 1892 ‘A Stevens 92'
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimensions: image size 81 x 65 cm, frame size 97,5 x 81,5 cm

Provenance:

Collection M. Klein, 1900
Galerie Petit, Paris, 18 June 1926, no. 22
Private collection, Europe
De Vuyst, Belgium, 1998
Galerie Kupperman, Amsterdam
Private collection, The Netherlands

Exhibitions:

Exposition of the Works of Alfred Stevens, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 1928
Retrospective Alfred Stevens, École des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1900, no. 100

Literature:

A. Stevens, Mercatorfonds, Brussels, p. 100
Alfred Stevens, François Boucher, Ed. Rieder, Paris, 1930, illustrated on p. 36
Documentation by Mrs. Christiane Lefebvre, 1998

Biography: Alfred Émile Léopold Stevens (May 11, 1823 - August 24, 1906) was a distinguished Belgian painter celebrated for his refined portraits of modern women that captured the elegance of 19th-century urban life. Born in Brussels into an artistic family, he studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts before joining the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he was influenced by the realism and meticulous detail of 17th-century Dutch genre painting.
As heir to the Dutch tradition, Stevens wanted to be the painter of detail. However, his relationship to detail, derived from his relationship to the object, is not limited to a mere mechanical reproduction. Impressed by the revolutionary entry of photography into the artistic domain, the painter drew his conception of painting from it: 'Photography produces a banal likeness that everyone can see; only the painter can penetrate the intimacy of the model and discover the radiance of physiognomy.' Relying on the classical argument that photography is the 'democratic' expression of reality, he affirmed the aristocratic dimension of an approach that he summed up in one formula: 'Art is nature seen through the prism of emotion.'
Stevens' career was a remarkable trajectory, marked by successes and distinctions. While he began with realistic social portraits, shedding light on the hardships of impoverished vagrants, his work evolved into an elegant portrayal of Parisian upper-middle-class life. His unique talent for frequently using the same models, some identified in the infamous Book of the Courtesans, added an intriguing dimension to his body of work.
Stevens was born in Brussels, into a family deeply connected with the visual arts. His older brother Joseph (1816–1892) and his son Léopold (1866–1935) were both painters, while his other brother Arthur (1825–1899) was an art dealer and critic. His father, a veteran of the Napoleonic wars under the army of William I of the Netherlands, was an art collector with a notable collection of watercolors by Eugène Delacroix and other esteemed artists. Stevens’s upbringing was influenced by the environment of Café de l’Amitié, run by his maternal grandparents in Brussels, which served as a meeting place for prominent figures from the political, literary, and artistic spheres. Following the death of his father in 1837, Stevens left middle school to enroll at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. There, he came under the tutelage of François Navez, a Neo-Classical painter and former student of Jacques-Louis David, who was both the director of the academy and an old acquaintance of Stevens’s grandfather. Following a traditional curriculum, he initially drew from casts of classical sculptures and later transitioned to drawing from live models. In 1843, Stevens journeyed to Paris to join his already established brother, Joseph. He gained admission to the École des Beaux-Arts, the preeminent art school in Paris, although claims of him being a student of the director, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, are likely unfounded. One of his early works, The Pardon or Absolution (Hermitage, St. Petersburg), signed and dated 1849, showcased his mastery of a conventional naturalistic style influenced by 17th-century Dutch genre painting.
Throughout his career, Stevens received honors such as the Legion of Honor, attesting to his exceptional contribution to art. Notable exhibitions and accolades, including a retrospective at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1900, where he was the first living artist to be so honored, underscore the recognition of his artistic genius.
In the 1880s, he boldly explored seascapes, influenced by the Impressionists, marking a new creative phase. The agreement with Parisian dealer Georges Petit, financing his vacations in exchange for paintings, added a fascinating dimension to his career, leading to picturesque depictions of seaside resorts. This arrangement, spanning three years, resulted in the sea becoming a significant subject in his work, and over the course of his career, he produced numerous views of popular resorts along the Normandy coast and the Midi in the south. Many of these works were executed in a sketchy style influenced by the Impressionists.
As a teacher, Stevens shared his knowledge with private students, among them the illustrious actress Sarah Bernhardt and American artist William Merritt Chase. Other notable students included Berthe Art, Charles Bell Birch, Jules Cayron, Marie Collart-Henrotin, Louise De Hem, Harriet Campbell Foss, Georgette Meunier, Lilla Cabot Perry, Jean-Paul Sinibaldi, and Fernand Toussaint.
His artistic legacy remains an enduring testament to the elegance and social transformation of modern life in the 19th century, a heritage that continues to inspire and captivate.
Stevens' works can be found in several prominent museums and collections worldwide, showcasing the artist's impact on the art world. Notable institutions housing his masterpieces include:

Musée du Louvre (Paris, France):
Presenting Stevens' influence in the art world within the prestigious Louvre.
Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam, Netherlands):
Enhancing the Rijksmuseum's collection of Dutch and European art with Stevens' significant contributions.
National Gallery (London, United Kingdom):
Featuring Stevens' distinctive perspective on contemporary society alongside other European masters.
Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA):
Acknowledging Stevens' international significance amidst the diverse array of the Met's holdings.
Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België (Brussels, Belgium):
Contributing to Belgium's artistic heritage, this museum in Stevens' hometown preserves and showcases his lasting impact.
Hermitage (Sint-Petersburg, Russia):
Displaying Stevens' works, the Hermitage adds to its extensive collection, recognizing the artist's global influence.