Dim.: 87,5 x 127 cm (the frame)
Dim.: 75 x 114 cm (the work)

This painting has been described in the article 'Een salonstuk van Jan Garemijn met putto, papegaai en vruchten' by art historian Dr. Ronald van Belle in Biekorf: West-Vlaams Archief voor Geschiedenis, Archeologie, Taal- en Volkskunde, Episode 2, 2024. Below is the translation of the article:

A Salon Piece by Jan Garemijn with Putto, Parrot, and Fruits

THE BACKSTORY

About thirty years ago, I came into contact with a noble family with Bruges roots. This connection developed into a long-lasting friendship. Among the antiques passed down through generations, there was one painting that particularly caught my attention (fig. 1). The canvas, depicting a putto and fruits, bore no signature; it was painted in a style that pointed to Bruges and reminded me of the 18th-century Bruges painter Jan Garemijn. This was confirmed by the owner. Originally, there were two paintings that were closely related; the second painting was signed by Garemijn. When the parents passed away, the antiques were divided between two heirs, and thus the canvases became separated.

Some time later, my mother spoke with the owner of the signed piece about my interest in antiques and the signed Garemijn. I was invited for supper and received an extensive guided tour of the antique collection, from the ground floor to the upstairs rooms. Indeed, there was the signed Garemijn, proudly displayed in the bedroom above the owner's bed. The owner insisted on staying in touch. My busy professional life, with many trips abroad, made time fly, and the plan to take a photo of the painting never materialized. A few years later, both owners passed away.

After some time, the heir who had become the owner of the unsigned work considered selling it. I was asked for advice and, in that context, I mentioned the other painting that does bear Garemijn's signature. This was unknown to him, and the idea grew to reunite the two paintings. I then contacted the heirs of the Garemijn-signed canvas. Their surprise was great: they were unaware of this painting, and there was no trace of this 'Garemijn' anymore.

The villa had remained unoccupied for months after the death of the owner of the signed piece, who had no children. Only a few people had access at the time. It took months for all the formalities to be completed and for the distribution to take place, but there was no longer any sign of the signed Garemijn. It remains a mystery what happened to this piece. The owner who had received me years earlier had stated that he was attached to the beautiful piece and that upon his death, 'the Garemijn would go to his nephew and nieces, who would then have to decide its fate.' It’s not surprising that the canvas was completely unknown, even to the family, as it was hung in the privacy of the owner's bedroom.

The Reunion of both Garemijn Paintings is not possible

Reuniting the two Garemijn paintings is no longer possible. Nevertheless, the unsigned piece has since received a thorough cleaning, further showcasing the great talent of Jan Garemijn as a painter of salon pieces. During the cleaning, it was discovered that beneath the current image, there is a hidden portrait of a woman. The owner has now decided to offer the piece at a public auction.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF JAN ANTOON GAREMIJN

Jan Antoon Garemijn was born on April 15, 1712, in Bruges, as the son of the early-deceased cooper Frans Garemijn and Magdalena Missiaens. He quickly demonstrated exceptional drawing talent and became a prominent Bruges painter and draftsman. At the age of seven, he began his apprenticeship with the sculptor Rochus Aerts and later studied at the newly established art academy. Unlike most of his contemporary painters, he did not travel to Rome or Paris. Instead, he completed his training in Bruges under Hendrik Pulinx, Lodewijk Roose, and Jacob Beernaert. Matthias de Visch introduced him to Italian painting and also acquainted him with the refined salon art of Jean Antoine Watteau and François Boucher.

As an art teacher and director at the Academy of Bruges, he played an important role in reviving local art activity in Bruges. This brought him into contact with many influential clergy, nobility, and wealthy citizens who supported the academy and commissioned works from him.

Jan Garemijn is best known for his light-hearted depictions of daily life in Bruges, as well as his landscapes, religious scenes, portraits, allegories, and salon pieces. These salon pieces were often commissioned as decorative panels for salons and dining rooms. Garemijn was a highly productive artist. When he died on June 23, 1799, he left behind many works: numerous drawings of his own, as well as those of other artists, along with seven sketchbooks. A significant auction followed, featuring his painted and drawn works, as well as art and prints by other artists that he had collected during his life. Several of Garemijn's paintings and drawings are now housed in Musea Brugge.

Although much has been published about Garemijn and his oeuvre, and exhibitions have been held, he seems to have fallen somewhat into obscurity in recent times.

THE SALON PIECE WITH PUTTO PLAYING WITH A PARROT AND WITH FRUITS

The unsigned painting (dimensions with frame 87.5 x 127 cm, the canvas without the frame 75 x 114 cm) depicts a putto near a pile of fruits, playing with a parrot (fig. 1). The chubby putto holds a vine twig, and the scarlet parrot—an ara, likely originating from South America—grasps the twig with its beak. The fruits include blue and white grapes, a pomegranate, a pumpkin, and apples, along with a few blossoms. In the background, there is a pseudo-antiquated marble structure, crowned with a series of statues. The adjoining marble wall features volute motifs and an antique medallion surrounded by palmettes, with a bust-like figure in the centre. The painting signed by Garemijn was a variant of this one.

Other putto-themed works by Garemijn are also known. For instance, on October 29, 2023, a canvas signed by him and dated 1783 was offered for sale at Sotheby’s in New York under the title "Allegory of Autumn" (fig. 2). In 2012, a signed and 1778-dated canvas titled "Sleeping Cupid Tormented by Putti" was sold at the Dorotheum in Vienna (fig. 3). Other examples could be cited as well.

Fig. 2: Jan Garemijn, Allegory of Autumn, 1783, Sotheby’s.
Fig. 3: Jan Garemijn, Sleeping Cupid Tormented by Putti, 1778, Vienna, Dorotheum.

An interesting aspect of the genesis of works featuring putto and parrot is that Garemijn created many preparatory drawings for his paintings. Several drawings of cherubic heads have been preserved in the Print Room of Musea Brugge (fig. 4). It is also clear that Garemijn’s putti were heavily influenced by those of his teacher Matthias de Visch. An example of this are the plump cherubs in De Visch's Allegory of the Goldsmith’s Art (1758), which is also housed in Musea Brugge (fig. 5).

Fig. 4: Jan Garemijn, Children’s Heads, Musea Brugge, Steinmetz Collection.
Fig. 5: Matthias de Visch, Allegory of the Goldsmith’s Art, 1758, Musea Brugge.

Also particularly interesting is a parrot and its counterpart with the inscription "papegary, 12 xbre [December] 1769" (fig. 6), preserved in the Print Room of Musea Brugge. Another drawing shows a parrot's head drawn from various angles. The inscription clarifies the circumstances in which the drawing was made: "drawn after the parrot of Mr. de Burghm. Pardo de Fremicourt on August 16, 1773." Ignace Pardo, Lord of Fremicourt, regularly served on Bruges' city council from 1743 to 1789, as a councilor, first alderman, and mayor of the commune (1772-1788). He died in 1792 as the last male bearer of his name. These parrot drawings are likely preparatory studies for the discussed painting.

Additional insights on the discussed work

Equally intriguing in relation to the work discussed here are the mentions in the previously referenced catalog of the auction following Garemijn’s death. Among the artworks listed, there is mention of No. 33, Man with Fruit, and No. 34, Woman with Fruit. No. 46 is recorded as Playing with a Parrot.

Fig. 6: Drawing by Jan Garemijn of a parrot from life, with its counterpart, dated 1769. Musea Brugge, Steinmetz Collection, inv. no. 364 KIKIRPA M15134.

Furthermore, interior paintings offer additional clues. A. Janssens de Bisthoven mentions five overdoor pieces in an upper room of the former house of Prince Maurice de Broglie, Bishop of Ghent (1807-1821). These pieces are possibly identifiable with those listed by Pieter Ledoulx as "five pieces representing the five senses by children," which were painted by Garemijn in 1778 for a room belonging to the Baron of Nevele in Ghent. These overdoor pieces depicting the five senses are defined as:

Taste: putti with grapes
Touch: putti with birds and fishing
Hearing: music-making putti
Sight: putti with a mirror
Smell: putti in front of a flower vase.

Fig. 7: Drawing by Jan Garemijn of a parrot's head from life, showing different angles, with a counterpart, dated 1773. Musea Brugge, Steinmetz Collection, inv. no. 37 KIKIRPA M.

The motifs in the painting of the putto with the parrot align with the iconography found in various paintings, drawings, and preparatory studies by Jan Garemijn. The work is undoubtedly by his hand. The meaning of the work is multi-layered. The parrot might symbolize the element of air as one of the four classical elements, but it could also refer to the sense of touch. Meanwhile, the putto with grapes might symbolize taste or the element of earth. In any case, the Putto with Parrot is a playful artwork that, nearly 250 years later, still charms us. Hopefully, this brief study will contribute to tracking down the signed version of the painting.

Ronald Van Belle

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