Léon Herbo

His first formal exhibit came in 1875, at the Salon van Brussel [nl], and he would continue to hold showings there until the end of the century.

The following year, he was one of the co-founders of "L'Essor", a progressive group that rebelled against the conservative teachings of the Academies.

As well as exhibiting in Belgium, he participated in showings in Paris, at the Salon, in Munich and Berlin.

That same year, he and the animal painter, Alexandre Clarys [nl], collaborated on creating a monumental canvas depicting the meeting of Queen Marie Henriette with the military squadron named after her.

A good example is the portrait of the Crown Prince of Belgium, Léopold Ferdinand, Count of Hainaut, who died in 1869, aged ten, a portrait he painted for Queen Marie-Henriette.