The Life and Art of Pierre De Glimes
Born in Brussels, Pierre De Glimes was a painter active in the Austrian Netherlands during the second half of the eighteenth century. He likely received part of his training in Paris, where he was enrolled in the Académie in 1768 under the name Pierre-Joseph de Glain, receiving protection from Vien. His artistic career was marked by his skill as a portraitist and his involvement in various compositions, such as La Bergère dans l'orage. He was also known for his revolutionary sympathies, notably through his portrait of the Brabantine revolutionary Henri van der Noot, a work that was later engraved in London by Bartolozzi.
Beyond his individual portraiture, De Glimes was an active participant in the artistic community of Brussels. In 1783, he was among a group of artists who petitioned Marie-Christine and Albert-Casimir to establish a new academy to replace the existing one under the direction of Bernard Verschoot. His social and political circles included figures such as Jeanne de Bellem and her daughter, and he was a member of the Escrimeurs, a company of volunteers associated with the Serment de Saint-Michel.
