▁studies ▁with ▁B alth as ar ▁Besch ey . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁L ens ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁Ant werp ▁Academy ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁pre co cious ▁student ▁who ▁obtained ▁several ▁first ▁pri zes ▁for ▁life ▁drawing , ▁winning ▁the ▁second ▁prize ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁prize ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 7 . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁his ▁teachers ▁at ▁the ▁Academy ▁was ▁the ▁eng ra ver ▁Peter ▁Mart enas ie . ▁Mart enas ie ▁thought ▁drawing ▁after ▁the ▁Ant ique ▁and ▁required ▁his ▁students ▁to ▁draw ▁after ▁Greek ▁stat ues . ▁ ▁L ens ▁painted ▁a ▁portrait ▁of ▁Mart enas ie . ▁ ▁Mart enas ie ▁was ▁influ ential ▁on ▁L ens ' ▁development ▁towards ▁a ▁classic ist ▁style . ▁ ▁L ens ▁became ▁a ▁director ▁and ▁teacher ▁at ▁the ▁Ant werp ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 3 . ▁ ▁To ▁prove ▁his ▁qual ifications ▁for ▁this ▁position ▁he ▁gave ▁the ▁Academy ▁in ▁the ▁year ▁of ▁his ▁appointment ▁a ▁composition ▁Her cules ▁protect s ▁painting ▁from ▁Ign or ance ▁and ▁En vy ▁( Ro yal ▁Museum ▁of ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁Ant werp ). ▁ ▁The ▁governor - general ▁of ▁the ▁Southern ▁Netherlands ▁Prince ▁Charles ▁Alexander ▁of ▁Lor raine ▁took ▁a ▁lik ing ▁to ▁the ▁young ▁artist ▁and ▁appointed ▁L ens ▁as ▁his ▁court ▁painter ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 7 6 4 . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁gave ▁L ens ▁a ▁st ip end ▁which ▁allowed ▁him ▁to ▁go ▁study ▁in ▁Italy . ▁ ▁The