1. Constant Montald was a Belgian painter, muralist, and teacher.
20 Facts About Constant Montald
1. 2.
In 1874, while receiving an education in decorative painting at the technical school of Ghent during the day, Montald enrolled in the evening-classes of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent.
3.
In 1886, Constant Montald went on to win the Belgian Prix de Rome for his work "Diagoras in triumph carried by his sons, victors of the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece".
4.
Constant Montald's victory was extensively celebrated in his home-town of Ghent and he received a commendation and the medal from the "Society for improvement of Industry and Science".
5.
Constant Montald then went on a grand tour of Italy and was greatly impressed by the Sistine Chapel and the work of Giotto di Bondone.
6.
Constant Montald traveled extensively until he eventually settled in Florence, where he made preparations for a Grand work he eventually completed in Rome.
7.
In 1891, Constant Montald returned to Belgium, after a trip to Egypt.
8.
In 1896, Constant Montald scored high marks in an entrance exam for professor of the decorative arts at the Academy of Fine arts in Brussels, a post he would hold until 1932.
9.
Constant Montald designed the decoration of the tympanum in the Royal Dutch Theater of Ghent.
10.
The emphasis was on gold and blue hues, Constant Montald was inspired by the Byzantines, and tried to introduce musicality into the art of painting.
11.
In 1909, Constant Montald commissioned a villa for himself in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert.
12.
Soon, The "Villa Constant Montald" became a meeting place for the intellectual elite he surrounded himself with, including friends like Emile Verhaeren and Stefan Zweig.
13.
The First World War prevented Constant Montald from painting Monumental works, instead he focused on painting on an easel.
14.
Together with Jean Delville, Emile Fabry, Albert Ciamberlani, Emile Vloors and Omer Dierickx, Constant Montald co-founded the group L'art monumental.
15.
Constant Montald drew six designs for the project, which were realized in mosaic in 1926 by a specialized construction company.
16.
In 1922, Constant Montald painted another monumental canvas: "France and Belgium suckle their children on the Fount of Goodness and Justness".
17.
In 1934, Constant Montald painted two decorative canvases for the reconstructed Leuven Theater's auditorium.
18.
On 7 July 1934, Constant Montald became a member of Royal Academy of Belgium.
19.
On 5 March 1944, Constant Montald, having become a widower in 1942, died of a stroke in Brussels while leaving the tram.
20.
Constant Montald's will stipulated a bi-annual award for monumental art, which was implemented in 1944.