A Garland of Flowers with the Education of the Virgin

Artist Erasmus Quellinus II (Flemish, 1607–1678)

Artist Daniel Seghers (Flemish, 1590–1661)

Dateprobably about 1645

Mediumoil on canvas

Dimensionspanel: 112.6 x 94 cm (44 5/16 x 37 in.)

ClassificationsPaintings

Credit LineEliza S. Paine Fund in memory of W. and F. Paine

Terms

Object number1966.37

Label TextDuring the seventeenth century, when Netherlandish painters often specialized in certain subjects, it was not uncommon for two or more artists to collaborate on a single work. In this picture the flowers were painted by Seghers and the sculptured stone cartouche by Quellinus, who is known to have worked with Seghers on several occasions. Seghers, a Jesuit monk, learned his specialty of floral garlands in the studio of his teacher, Jan Brueghel. A favorite of Flemish painters, these colorful clusters were often enhanced by being placed against monochromatic backgrounds. Here the garland contains almost two dozen different floral species and a variety of butterflies, attesting to the growing interest in documenting the natural world. The attention lavished on the garland gives it precedence over the painting's central subject, the Virgin with her mother, Saint Anne. Close examination reveals that the seated figure originally held the Christ Child on her lap and therefore represented the Virgin Mary. When the child was painted out and the standing figure was added, the subject became the Education of the Virgin.ProvenancePossibly De Koninck (nephew of the artist). Collection de Maertelaere (possibly Louis), Ghent. Christophe van Loo (?-1881), Ghent, by 1881. Christophe van Loo deceased sale at Hotel Drouot, no. 28, 25 May 1881. Galerie Cramer, The Hague, Netherlands, 1965; purchased by the Worcester Art Museum, 24 January 1966.

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On view