Frans Mortelmans

[1] He initially produced portraits, history paintings, marines and genre scenes but later specialised in still lifes, and in particular flower pieces, with which he achieved considerable success.

All the Mortelmans children attended the local music school and the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts.

[3] Frans Mortelmans studied at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts under the direction of Lucas Victor Schaefels and Charles Verlat from 1876 to 1886.

[2] Mortelmans also gave private lessons to Countess Romania du Bois d'Aische, the sister-in-law of Fritz Mayer van den Bergh, whose art collection was the basis of the collection of the Museum Mayer van den Bergh.

[6] Mortelmans exhibited his works at the various events organised by 'De Scalden' as well as those held by the local art societies 'Arte Et Labore' and "De Distel'.

In 1903 his work received official recognition in Belgium when one of his watercolors was acquired by the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.

[5] Frans Mortelmans commenced his career as a painter of portraits and figures, including genre scenes.