Jean Baptiste Robie, M. Parkes

Jean Baptiste Robie happened to be one of those artists who obtain fame and glory already in their lifetime. He grew up in humble homes - his father was a blacksmith - but succeeded in finishing his studies at the academy of fine arts in Brussels. His first success came in 1843 with a series of still lives with flowers and fruits, painted in the tradition of the great Dutch masters from the 17th century, and slightly modernising their style. The cult around the rose is to be found in many of Robie´s works. His extraordinary technique, the detailed and imaginative presentation and the filigree textures soon made him famous in the world of art.