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Osias
Bert

Belgium • 1580−1624

Biography and information

Osias Burt (1580-1624) South Netherlandish painter of the Baroque era who specialized in floral still lifes and the lifes of the "Breakfast". Father artist Osias Bertha Younger. He was born and lived all his life in Antwerp. He studied painting at the Andries of Bacteria. In 1608 Burt joined the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke. The artist is considered a master of a number of Dutch painters, Frans van der Borch, Frans Ocensa, Paulus Pontius and Jan Willemssen. In 1606 Bert married the sister of the painter Frans Icensa, and they had two sons, Elias and Osias Burt Jr.

Burt is considered a leading Flemish artist naturmorti. Exotic fruits in his paintings symbolize abundance, and small details like the faded petals or flies, a reminder of the fragility of human life. In his floral still lifes, the artist often depicts a vase with flowers in a small niche, its operation is very similar to the paintings of Ambrosio Bossert. His still-lifes breakfasts sometimes referred to as the little Dutch Breakfast. They are shown at a high angle with forced perspective, characteristic of Flemish and Dutch still life painting in the early XVII.

According to some reports Osias Burt collaborated with Peter Rubens. In Holland, his still lifes are still very popular.