Martin van Dorne
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Martin van Dorne or Martinus Vandorne[1][2] (Leuven, baptized on 22 January 1736 – Leuven, 2 May 1808) was a Flemish painter and poet who specialized in still lifes.[3] He is known for his still lifes of fruit and flowers. He was nominated court painter by Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine, the governor of the Austrian Netherlands. He was also a poet in the Dutch language.[4]
Martin van Dorne was the son of Amandus van Dorne and Elisabetha Annosset.[3] Nothing is known about his training and early career. It is possible that he was self-taught. He was established in his hometown as a painter of floral still lifes and gained a regional reputation. Possibly, like many contemporaries, he was also working as a decorative painter.[4]
He married Petronilla Ekermans on 25 February 1765. Of their children a son called Frans (10 April 1776-30 November 1848) became an esteemed portrait painter.
Prince Charles of Lorraine, governor of the Austrian Netherlands appointed van Dorne as an ordinary painter, by letters patent dated 5 August 1779.[4] In October 1800 van Dorne was, together with Pieter-Jozef Verhaghen, François Xavier Joseph Jacquin, Josse-Pieter Geedts, Frans Berges, Pieter Goyers and Antoon Clevenbergh, a co-founder of the Academy of Leuven.[5]
Van Dorne was an amateur poet who composed occasional poetry at family feasts and meetings of artists. On the return to Belgium of the history painter Pieter-Jozef Verhaghen, who was also his friend, he described in a short didactic poem, all the works executed by the prolific artist Verhaghen.[4]
He died in the Civil Hospital of Leuven on 2 May 1808.[5]
