Statue by De Rudder and bas-relief portrait, encased in a pedestal designed by Paul Hankar, unveiled in St Bavo's Square in 1899 and dedicated to the memory of Jan Frans Willems.
Isidore De Rudder is a Belgian sculptor, statuary, painter, engraver and ceramist from the Art Nouveau period born in Brussels. De Rudder trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels from 1869 to 1879 (Academy of which he became professor of 1911 to 1915 and from 1919 to 1926) as well as in the studio of Eugène Simonis.
In 1880 he obtained the Prix de l'Académie de Belgique which allowed him to travel to Germany, England and France. In 1882 he received the second Prix de Rome.
He also created models for the goldsmith Philippe Wolfers who had been his pupil.
His workshop located rue de Hennin, 74 in Ixelles had been transformed according to the plans of his friend Paul Hankar. His wife Hélène du Ménil, a native of Ypres