In 1741, he had a chance meeting with the itinerant painter January-Baptist van den Kerckhoven (ca 1709 - 1772), who was in Aarschot to restore a painting. He was enrolled at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and also worked in the studios of Balthasar Beschey. In 1749, he was commissioned to decorate the home of a wealthy brewer in Leuven.
By 1770, his reputation was such that he became court painter to Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine, Governor of the Austrian Netherlands.
The Prince presented one of Verhaghen"s paintings as a gift to Empress Maria Theresa who, in turn, awarded him with a stipend to study the Old Masters in Italy. On his way back, he stopped off in Vienna, where he painted a portrait of Saint Teresa for the Queen, who appointed him a court painter, but he chose not to remain there and was granted permission to leave.
His homecoming in Leuven was celebrated with a parade and a banquet at City Hall. Five years later, he had a stroke that left him unable to paint.
He was a very prolific painter.
