David Bailly Vanitas Still Life Painting by Paul Meijering

About "David Bailly Vanitas Still Life Painting"

by Paul Meijering

About the artwork

Realistic acrylic painting of the Dutch painter David Bailly, painted by the Dutch fine artist Paul Meijering - the original painting is 120 x 90 cm and part of a permanent collection.

David Bailly (Leiden, 1584 - buried there October 1657) was a Dutch painter.

The son of a Flemish immigrant Peter Bailly, Bailly was a pupil of Cornelis van der Voort, of the copper engraver Jacob de Gheyn and probably also of his father.

Between 1608 and 1613, he made study trips to Germany (Hamburg) and Italy (Venice and Rome). On his return to Holland, Bailly worked for several German princes. After returning to Leiden, Bailly started painting history pieces, still lifes and portraits, often in a combination with vanitas still lifes. He also produced his first self-portraits and portraits of his students and professors at Leiden University. He often added a portrait of himself to his paintings, a habit that anticipated Rembrandt, who later did the same. Bailly even did it on a militia piece painted by Joris van Schooten. His best-known painting is the painter's Vanitas still life with self-portrait from 1651. He was co-founder of the Guild of Saint Luke in Leiden, of which he became chief in 1648.

Bailly himself was tutor to his cousins Harmen and Pieter Steenwijck.

From 10 March to 2 July 2023, Museum De Lakenhal in Leiden dedicated a retrospective exhibition to Bailly's work for the first time.