A Life in Art and Lithography
Born in Bruges, Belgium, Auguste Van de Steene was a painter, visual artist, and draftsperson. He received his initial drawing lessons from his father, François-Bernard Van den Steene, before studying at the Academie voor Schone Kunsten Brugge under Joseph-François Ducq. In 1822, he was awarded a prize for drawing from a live model. His artistic journey included a significant journey to Italy, Switzerland, and Paris in 1826, from which he returned with numerous sketches that he later incorporated into his paintings. His body of work includes many sketches, drawings, and paintings of Bruges cityscapes, placing him within the Brugse School.
Beyond his work as a painter, Van de Steene was a pioneer of lithography in Bruges. He learned the technique in Brussels from Karl Senefelder, the brother of the inventor Alois Senefelder. In 1820, he presented two lithographic prints at the Nijverheidstentoonstelling in Gent, for which he received a bronze medal. He eventually acquired his own lithographic printing press, which he set up at his father's home in the Sint-Amandstraat.
Personal Life and Later Years
In 1850, while living in Sint-Michiels, Van de Steene married Esther Van Huele. Following his marriage, he eventually moved to Brussels, where he remained active as a painter until his death in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.
