Complex sentence: He was subsequently appointed painter to Leopold, King of the Belgians; at the death of Matthieu-Ignace Van Brée in 1839 he was made director of the Antwerp Academy.
Split into simpler sentences: He was subsequently appointed painter to Leopold, King of the Belgians. At the death of Matthieu-Ignace Van Brée in 1839 he was elavated to director of the Antwerp Academy.