Agapit Stevens

Agapit Pierre Jean Joseph Stevens (née Agapit Pierre Jean Joseph Van Gotsenhoven; 21 October 1848 – 19 February 1924) was a Belgian painter of glamorous women in interiors, genre scenes, landscapes, seascapes, still lifes and Orientalist scenes depicting odalisques, dancers and harem musicians.

As his parents Jean Daniel Stevens and Marie Van Gotsenhoven were unmarried at the time of his birth he was registered under his mother's name.

[2] His brother (Alphonse Jacques) René Stevens was born on 25 April 1858 in Ixelles and also became a painter.

The confusion between the two artist was such that the Orde van de Nederlandschen Leeuw (Order of the Netherlands Lion) awarded by the Dutch king to Alfred Stevens in 1884 was erroneously sent to Agapit.

The latter seems to have been reluctant to send the award back and the Belgian government threatened to sue Agapit in the matter.