He was a pupil of Joseph van den Kerckhove in Bruges. To continue his artistic training, he travelled to
Paris and
Italy, returning in 1732. He gave art lessons at his home from 1735 and played a key role in the reopening of the Bruges Academy of Art in 1739. He acted as its director from then until his death. The academy played a pioneering role in promoting neoclassicism in the Southern Netherlands. In 1737 he married Petronilla Iweins. His pupils included
Jean Garemyn, Paul de Cock, Pieter (I) Pepers, Jacques de Rijcke, and
Joseph-Benoît Suvée. ==Work==