Daniel Seghers (1590-1661)
| Artist Name | Daniel Seghers (1590-1661) |
|---|---|
| Title | Nativity Scene Garland Pendant |
| Description | This superb trompe l'oeil painting is in the typical manner and quality of the Antwerp Jesuit master Daniel Seghers. Painted circa 1650, the central cartouche, most probably the work of another hand, depict the Nativity scene. It is abundantly surrounded by flower garlands, and topped by a trompe l'oeil of a sculpted satyr head. The painting is still vivid in colour, despite its age and there is lovely detail and brushwork. The work is indistinctly and hardly visibly signed to the bottom edge. Only the word 'Fecit' is readable. |
| Provenance | Belgian estate. |
| Medium | Oil on Canvas |
| Size | 26 x 30 inches |
| Frame | Housed In a gilt frame, 37 inches by 33 inches and in good condition. |
| Condition | Good condition. |
| Biography | Daniël Seghers or Daniel Seghers (1590-166) was a Flemish Jesuit brother and painter who specialized in flower still lifes. He is particularly well known for his contributions to the genre of flower garland painting. His paintings were collected enthusiastically by aristocratic patrons and he had numerous followers and imitators. Daniel Seghers was born in Antwerp, but after his father's death he was taken by his mother to live in Utrecht, where his artistic training began. In 1609 or 1610 he returned to Antwerp where he completed his training under Jan Brueghel I, before being accepted as an independent master in the local guild in 1611. Breughel is thought to have effected his reversion to the Catholic faith (he had been raised as a Protestant in Utrecht), and in 1614 he was admitted to the Jesuit Order, taking his final vows in 1625. Thereafter he was sent to the Jesuit Order in Rome, where he stayed until 1627 before returning to Antwerp where he remained for the rest of his life. Seghers was already held in the highest regard for his flower painting during his own lifetime and his popularity is attested to by the existence of the artist's own inventory of 239 of his pictures. |
| Price | £9000 |
