▁to ▁promote ▁the ▁progress ▁of ▁the ▁arts . ▁ ▁The ▁Société ▁d ' ém ulation ▁was ▁composed ▁of ▁both ▁am ateurs , ▁artists ▁and ▁art ▁lo vers . ▁It ▁held ▁every ▁year ▁an ▁exhibition ▁of ▁contemporary ▁pain ters . ▁It ▁was ▁thus ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁Kunst ma at sch app ij ▁( So ci ety ▁of ▁Arts ) ▁established ▁in ▁Ant werp ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 8 . ▁ ▁After ▁ 1 8 1 5 ▁when ▁the ▁Southern ▁Netherlands ▁had ▁become ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁the ▁Netherlands , ▁L ens ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Kon ink lijk ▁( N eder lands ) ▁Inst itu ut ▁van ▁W et enschapp en , ▁Let ter k unde ▁en ▁Sch o one ▁Kun sten ▁( Ro yal ▁Netherlands ▁Academy ▁of ▁Arts ▁and ▁Sciences ▁) ▁and ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁kn ight ▁of ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁l ion ▁by ▁King ▁William ▁I ▁of ▁the ▁Netherlands . ▁ ▁L ens ▁died ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁March ▁ 1 8 2 2 ▁in ▁Br uss els . ▁ ▁His ▁pup ils ▁included ▁Jean - Pierre ▁Bor re kens , ▁Corn el is ▁C els , ▁Pierre ▁Joseph ▁C él est in ▁François ▁and ▁Jacob ▁van ▁St rij . ▁ ▁Work ▁ ▁And ries ▁Corn el is ▁L ens ▁was ▁a ▁painter ▁whose ▁main ▁subject ▁matter ▁were ▁scenes ▁from ▁the ▁b ible ▁and ▁Ant ique ▁myth ology . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁early ▁representative ▁of ▁Ne oc lass ic ism ▁in ▁Belg ian ▁painting . ▁ ▁His ▁version