Jef Lambeaux

Who was Jef Lambeaux?

Jef Lambeaux was a Belgian sculptor born in Antwerp. He studied at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts, and was a pupil of Jean Geefs. He was part of a group of young artists, the "Van Beers clique", led by Jan van Beers. This group included the artists Piet Verhaert and Alexander Struys. They were well known for their mischievous and eccentric behaviour, including walking around Antwerp dressed in historic costumes.

His first work, War, was exhibited in 1871, and was followed by a long series of humorous groups, including Children dancing, Say Good Morning, The Lucky Number and; An Accident. He then went to Paris, where he executed The Beggar and The Blini Pauper for the Belgian salons, and produced The Kiss, generally regarded as his masterpiece. After visiting Italy, where he was much impressed by the works of Jean Boulogne, he showed a strong predilection for effects of force and motion.

Other notable works include his Brabo fountain in Antwerp, Robbing the Eagles Eyrie, Drunkenness, The Triumph of Woman, The Bitten Faun, and The Human Passions, a colossal marble bas-relief, elaborated from a sketch exhibited in 1889.