Born in Longwy on 10 July 1800, Fresez came to Luxembourg City with his parents in 1802 when his father started to work at the Sept-Fontaines porcelain factory in the Rollingergrund.
Born in the Rollingergrund district of Luxembourg City on 6 June 1851, Engels studied art at the Athénée where he was one of the last students instructed by Jean-Baptiste Fresez, considered to be Luxembourg's greatest 19th-century artist.