Brief Biography-Mattheus Ignatius van Bree from Antwerp was a pupil of Petrus Johannes van Regemorter. After winning second prize in the Prix de Rome in Paris in 1797, he studied in Rome until 1804. In Antwerp, along with Regemorter, Mattheus became engaged in retrieving art from Paris that the French had confiscated during the invasion. As a result, he was responsible for returning many paintings of note.
He visited Florence and Rome with Ferdinand de Braekeleer, the Elderwho had been his pupil before becoming director of the Antwerp Academy in 1827. He had several students who became renowned painters in their own time. Two of which were Gustave Wappers and Jan August Hendrik Leys. Rubens strongly influenced his work.