LEYS, Its or IA. HENDRIK, Baron (1815-69). A Belgian historical and genre painter. He was horn at Antwerp, February 18, 1815. in 1829 he studied with Ferdinand de Braekeleer, his brother-in-law, and later with NVappers, at the Antwerp Academy. Ile received the great gold medal at the Brussels Academy in 1835; the next four years he studied in Paris. There he was strongly influemed by the French Romanti cists, although some of Iris work of the same period shows the influence of Rembrandt and Van Dyck. In 1839 he visited Holland, where he took up the manner of the Dutch genre paint ers. His "Dutch Church Service," "Dutch So ciety of the Seventeenth Century," both in the National Gallery, Berlin, and "Wedding of the Seventeenth Century" (1845) contain such rich details, both in costume, decoration, and treatment of draperies, as are found in a Pieter de lloogh, or a. Aletsu. The years 1852, 1859, 1863, he spent in Germany; and during the time lie was strongly influenced by I/firer and Cranach. To this period belong "Erasmus in 1-Iis Study" (1853), "Luther as Chorister in Eisenach." "Luther's Home in Wittenberg" (1858). He was the recipient of many hmm•s, and his death, August 18, 1869, was marked by universal mourn ing in Antwerp. A statue was erected to his
memory on the Boulevard Leys.
Leys was a fine colorist, and a good draughts man, in his first style showing delight in care fill detail, while in his second style his work is as severe in outline as the paintings of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, with the sim plicity of the early Flemish and German masters, even to their faults in drawing. Among his most important works are the following: "Little Mu sician at a Peasant's Cottage" (1832) ; "Strand of Antwerp" (1834) ; "Rembrandt's Studio" (1837) ; "Family Festival in Brittany" (1838) ; "Courtyard of an Inn" (1842) ; "Restoration of Divine Service in Antwerp Cathedral" (1845) : "Studio of Frans Hats" (1868) ; "Oath of Charles V." (1869) ; "Dfirer Painting Erasmus" (1857) ; "Portrait of Quentin 31assys"(1863) ; four scenes from the history of Antwerp, and portraits of 12 princes celebrated in connection with the city (1864-69), City Hall, Antwerp. Consult Sulz berger, Henri Legs (Brussels, 1835).