▁occupation ▁of ▁the ▁Southern ▁Netherlands ▁by ▁the ▁French ▁did ▁not ▁harm ▁the ▁artist . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Institut ▁de ▁France , ▁then ▁called ▁the ▁Institut ▁National . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁mainly ▁his ▁ 1 7 7 6 ▁publication ▁on ▁ancient ▁dress ▁and ▁cost umes ▁that ▁had ▁bol ster ed ▁his ▁reputation ▁in ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁Ne oc lass ic ism ▁in ▁art ▁triumph ed ▁in ▁France . ▁The ▁French ▁actor ▁François - Jose ph ▁Tal ma ▁even ▁visited ▁L ens ▁in ▁Br uss els ▁to ▁pay ▁h omm age ▁to ▁the ▁artist ▁who ▁had ▁shown ▁him ▁in ▁his ▁book ▁how ▁to ▁dra pe ▁the ▁Roman ▁tog as ▁he ▁wore ▁on ▁stage . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 1 ▁L ens ▁published ▁in ▁Br uss els ▁a ▁book ▁under ▁the ▁title ▁Du ▁bon ▁go ût , ▁ou , ▁De ▁la ▁beaut é ▁de ▁la ▁peint ure , ▁consid ér ée ▁dans ▁toutes ▁ses ▁parties ▁( Of ▁good ▁taste , ▁or , ▁Of ▁the ▁beauty ▁of ▁painting , ▁considered ▁in ▁all ▁its ▁parts ). ▁ ▁It ▁set ▁out ▁his ▁art istic ▁theories . ▁ ▁By ▁that ▁time ▁he ▁had ▁ceased ▁painting . ▁ ▁L ens ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 3 ▁a ▁co - found er ▁in ▁Br uss els ▁of ▁the ▁Société ▁de ▁peint ure , ▁sculpt ure ▁et ▁architecture ▁de ▁Bru xelles ▁( So ci ety ▁of ▁painting , ▁sculpt ure ▁and ▁architecture ▁of ▁Br uss els ), ▁a ▁so - called ▁Société ▁d ' ém ulation ▁intended