 In a competition for young artists, organized by Venetian sculptor Antonio Canova, Kessels in 1819 won the highest award with his terracotta "Saint Sebastian pierced by arrows", a piece of frank and beautiful workmanship.In Rome he became a member, later professor of the Academy of St. Luke and of the Institute of the Netherlands.He also was a member of the academies in Amsterdam (from 1824 onwards) and Antwerp.