Nicolas Ruyssen

Born on 17 March 1757 in the house of a gardener in Hazebrouck, Nicolas Ruyssen showed a talent for drawing from an early age and by the age of eighteen had won first prize at the École des Beaux-Arts de Saint-Omer.^[1][2] Introduced to the entourage of the Duke Anne Louis Alexandre de Montmorency,^[3][4] the young artist was indebted to his distinguished patron for a long stay in Paris. After winning first prize at the École des Beaux-Arts of Saint-Omer in 1775, he spent 6 years in Paris, then several years in Rome at the French Academy in Rome alongside other fellows students like painter Jean-Baptiste Wicar^[4] and architects Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine. He became friends with John Flaxman.^[2][5][6] Returning to Belgium in June 1791, he first settled with his friend, the Prince de la Basèque, in Reningelst on the Belgian border.^[7]

In 1793, fleeing the French Revolution, he took refuge in England. Most of the large-format works painted by Ruyssen were destroyed in the fire at his patrons' castle in Reningelst on 6 September 1793 on the orders of General Dominique Vandamme.^[8] At an unknown date, he found employment as drawing-master to the daughters of King George III. Several artists, including Biagio Rebecca (1735–1808) and Peltro William Tomkins (1760–1840), worked for the Royal family during this period.^[9] Ruyssen was commissioned by Sir William Beechey to paint Queen Charlotte in 1799.^[10] In 1801, he published drawings based on the Raphael cartoons owned by the Windsor family in collaboration with engraver Anthony Cardon.^{[11][12][13][14]} Work on the project was suspended in 1801, suggesting that Ruyssen had left the royal service. Little is known of his activities in England thereafter. He painted a portrait of the children of Lord David Gordon (1753–1831) c. 1804.^[15][11] He is known to have given drawing lessons in London around 1810.^[16]

Ruyssen returned to France in 1814.^[3] In Hazebrouck, he restored several paintings and donated some canvases to the church of Saint Eloi in Hazebrouck.^{[17][18][1][19]} Five of his paintings are kept in the Augustins Museum in Hazebrouck.^[20]

In 1819, he bought the ruins of the former hermitage of the Hospital Brothers of St. Anthony on the Mont des Cats to found a school. He had the buildings restored and in 1821, opened a boarding school there with the help of the Brothers of the Christian Schools of Saint-Omer.^[21] He soon had a hundred pupils but at his age, it was too heavy a burden.^[17] In 1825, he contacted the Trappist Abbey of Notre Dame du Gard. Eight Trappist monks arrived on 26 January 1826 and founded the Mont des Cats abbey.^[17]

A few months after the arrival of the monks, Ruyssen died from apoplexy in his home in Godewaersvelde on 7 May 1826.^[21][22] Other sources wrongly reported 17 May ^[2][7] or 8 May.^[1] In his will, Ruyssen included a clause requiring the monks to teach Flemish, French and the principles of religion to the children of the neighbourhood.^[21] He was buried in the oratory of the monastery. When the new monastery was built, his body was transferred to the Mont des Cats abbey church.^[22]