The Neoclassical Vision of Andries Cornelis Lens In the vibrant intellectual landscape of late 18th-century Flanders, few figures loomed as large in the realm of academic tradition as Andries Cornelis Lens. Born in Antwerp in 1739, Lens emerged during the Enlightenment, a period defined by a profound yearning to reconnect with the clarity and moral gravity of antiquity. While the era was often characterized by the swirling, emotive energy of preceding movements, Lens sought a different path—one of intellectual rigor, balance, and a disciplined return to classical ideals. His life’s work was…