Dutch painter

Delft circa 1600 – 1669 Delft

 

Still life and portrait painter. 

De Bergh specialised into still lifes with fruit and flowers. There is a single game still life known and a few Vanitas still lifes with books. 

 

His father, also called Gillis, was a sailmaker from Ghent, who had emigrated from Flanders to Delft, where he got married in 1589 and where he became citizen in 1590. Our painter’s second first name, Gillisz., is an abbreviation for Gilliszoon: ‘son of Gillis’.

 

Our painter was probably a pupil of Cornelis Delff (1570/71 – 1643), a painter of kitchen interiors, market scenes and of still lifes with fruit and game. Gillis’ early compositions also remind of those of Floris van Schooten (circa 1580/88 – 1656).

Gillis joined the Guild of Saint Luke in 1624 and remained active in Delft for the rest of his life.

 

Some of his unsigned paintings go hidden under erroneous attributions to such painters as Bartholomeus Assteyn or Cornelis Kruys.

 

His younger brother, Matheus, specialised into history and portrait painting. Het joined the Guild of Saint Luke in 1638, the year that Gillis got married. 

 

 

Because this magnificent display of vegetables is fully signed and dated, which is very rare for Gillis Gillisz. De Bergh.