A Life Between Bruges and Groningen The story of Gerardus Xaverius de San begins in the streets of Bruges. Born on 31 May 1754, he enters the world as the son of Petrus de San and Magdalena Hostein. His early years are defined by the rigorous discipline of the Bruges Academy, where he studies under Jean-François Legillon. This training provides the foundation for a career that will eventually span across France, Italy, and the Netherlands. By 1781, the trajectory of his life shifts toward the south. He travels to Italy, seeking the light and classical traditions of the Mediterranean. In Rom…