Biography

Belgian painter and etcher, part of a family of artists. Hendrick Joseph Dillens, like his brother Adolphe-Alexandre, was active as a painter and etcher. He had two sons, the painter Albert (b. 1844), who produced fishing scenes, portraits and a few religious works, and the sculptor Julien Dillens (1849-1904).

Adolphe-Alexandre studied at the academy in Ghent. The source of most of his genre subjects was Zealand, and he represented scenes of that region's daily life. He also produced a few portraits and a number of etchings. At the end of his life Dillens turned to painting historical and military scenes from Flemish life, such as Enlistment in the Austrian Netherlands (Brussels, Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts). He was a prolific and successful artist, who worked with facility and did not hesitate to repeat himself in order to satisfy collectors. Although his pictures lack originality, they are notable for their precise draughtsmanship, clear composition and rich colouring.