Bust of Constantijn Huygens Surrounded by a Garland of Flowers (1596–1687)

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Bust of Constantijn Huygens Surrounded by a Garland of Flowers (1596–1687)

Daniel Seghers
1644

1216 - zaal 18

Standing inside an ornate stone niche is a bust of Constantijn Huygens. The niche is decorated with ivy and orange blossom, together with small posies of roses, tulips, carnations and hyacinths. The Antwerp painter Seghers specialised in flower cartouches like this – flower still lifes with a bust in a niche. Seghers did not usually paint the bust himself: here he asked his colleague Jan Cossiers to do the honours.

The Jesuit Seghers and Huygens were friends. As secretary to the Dutch stadholders, Huygens provided the link between the painter and the House of Orange. Seghers gave two flower cartouches to Huygens, who hung them in the Huyghens House on the nearby Plein. The flower cartouche with the bust of the stadholder-king William III, also on display in this room, has long been in the Mauritshuis collection. This cartouche with the bust of Huygens now joins it.

oil no copper
86 x 63 cm.
Acquisition with the support of the BankGiro Lottery and H.B. van der Ven, 2018