BERGH, Gillis Gillisz. de

(b. ~1600 Delft, d. 1669 Delft)

Gillis Gillisz. de Bergh (also spelt Gillles Gillisz. de Berch), Dutch painter of still-lifes, notably fruit pieces. He worked in Delft all of his life, joined the painters’ guild in 1624. His father was a sailmaker from Ghent, who arrived about 1590. His brother, Mattheus de Bergh (d. 1686) was a history painter, who joined the guild in 1638. His uncle Daniel de Bergh was a silversmith in Delft.

His early works are strongly related to the kitchen still-lifes of Cornelis Jacobsz Delff, who may have been De Bergh’s teacher. In the 1630s he came under the influence of Balthasar van der Ast and Jan Davidsz de Heem. The tonal palette and objects - silver and silver-gilt tazzas and guild cups - in a few of De Bergh’s works from the 1630s are reminiscent of paintings by Pieter Claesz.

Gillis and his brother appear to have been respected members of the artistic community in Delft. Still-lifes by Gillis are cited in local inventories especially in the third quarter of the century.

Still-Life

This still-life consists of plums and apples, a blue and white bowl of Strawberries, grapes, gooseberries, a Roemer of wine and a pewter vessel on a table.

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Still-Life

In the 1630s De Bergh turned from the production of kitchen still-lifes in the manner of Cornelis Jacobsz Delff to simpler and more elegant arrangements like this still-life with fruit in a Wan-li Bowl and a roemer. De Bergh was clearly aware of works by numerous specialists in this field, but his greatest debt was to Balthasar van der Ast, who lived in Delft from 1632 until his death in 1657.

The painting is signed lower right: G. de Bergh.

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