Hubert Bellis (1831 - 1902) - Red And Yellow Roses In A Glass Vase

Hubert Bellis
1831 - Brussels - 1902
Belgian Painter

'Red and Yellow Roses in a Glass Vase'

Signature: signed lower right 'H. Bellis'
Medium: oil on panel
Dimensions: image size 43,5 x 23 cm, frame size 61,5 x 41 cm

The artwork is elegantly displayed within a high-quality frame, impeccably preserved in its excellent condition. This piece is presented in a state suitable for immediate gallery hanging, having undergone professional cleaning and review.

Biography: Bellis Hubert (Josse-Lambert) was born on January 6, 1831, in the heart of Brussels. He was a painter of exquisite still lifes,  flowers, fruits, and captivating portraits.

Bellis started on his artistic journey at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, where he honed his craft under the tutelage of the esteemed François-Joseph Navez (1787 – 1869), and Jean Henri De Coene (1798 – 1866) as well. His artistic flair flourished under their guidance during the years 1846 to 1857.

In 1857, a new chapter unfolded as Bellis joined forces with his brother Charles-Louis Bellis, setting up a creative haven at 31 Brandhoutkaai in Brussels. A camaraderie with Guillaume Vogels and Jean Degreef gave birth to artistic collaborations that bloomed with creativity.

As time waltzed forward, Bellis transitioned from strength to strength, earning a reputation for his meticulously detailed still lifes and captivating portraits from 1875 onwards.

Hubert and Charles-Louis found solace in the company of “La Chrysalide,” an artist association in Brussels that nurtured young talents. The legacy of Bellis shimmered through the salons organised by the association in 1876, 1877, 1878, and 1881.

In 1883, he embarked on a voyage of study, journeying to Amsterdam in the company of kindred spirits James Ensor and Guillaume Vogels.

His still lifes emerged as odes to the delicate allure of flowers, fruits, and seashells. With time, his artistry evolved, casting off the yoke of meticulously controlled compositions in favor of spontaneous brushstrokes, resonating with natural elegance. Roses, geraniums, chrysanthemums in humble pots, succulent grapes, oysters, and prawns plucked from the sea graced his canvases with lifelike vibrancy, painted with the soul of an impressionist.

Hubert died in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode on April 16, 1902.

Today, his work is private and public collections across the globe, housed in prestigious venues such as the Musée de la Picardie in Amiens, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts in Brussels, the Museum of Elsene in Brussels, the Stedelijk Museum Van der Kelen-Mertens in Leuven, the Musée des Beaux-Arts Liège, the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, the Musée Communal in Verviers, the Collection of the Chamber of Representatives in Brussels, and the Municipal Collection in Schaerbeek.