Victor Honoré Janssens

He spent a substantial period of his career abroad and worked in Germany, Italy, Vienna and London.

[1] After working in the studio of Lancelot Volders, he spent some time in the district of Oldenburg (now in the German state of Lower Saxony).

Janssens stayed for about nine years in Italy and visited the main capitals of the country to study the masters.

While in Napels, Janssens obtained a major commission to paint a large altarpiece for the church of the Jesuits.

[2] Janssens' principal works are the series of paintings which he produced for the Brussels Town Hall.

A first commission in 1711 from the workshop of the brothers Urbanus and Daniel II Leyniers involved the painting of six designs in oil on canvas on Greek history themes and was later referred to as "Famous men from Plutarch".

Janssens executed the designs according to the fashion for classicist history painting and he developed the themes in wide and balanced compositions.