Around 110 watercolor and oil paintings created between 1600 and 1630 established the reputation of Georg Flegel as a primary figure in early German still-life art. Working primarily in Frankfurt, he specialized in highly detailed table scenes featuring food, flowers, and animals, moving away from his initial role as a supporting assistant to independent professional success.
Early Training and Movement
Born in 1566 in Olomouc, Moravia, Flegel moved to Vienna around 1580. His early professional years were spent as an assistant to the painter and draughtsman Lucas van Valckenborch. Between 1582 and 1592, he served as a formal pupil to Van Valckenborch in Linz. During this period, Flegel focused on incorporating botanical and domestic elements into his mentor's larger compositions, specifically adding fruits, flowers, and various table utensils.
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After his time in Linz, Flegel relocated to Frankfurt. The city functioned as a vital hub for the international art trade at the time, providing a platform for him to develop his own distinct style. Records indicate that an individual identified as Juriaen Vlegel, described as a constschilder or art painter, was documented in Utrecht on 21 March 1616. This suggests Flegel may have briefly interacted with the Utrecht Guild of St. Luke, potentially encountering contemporaries such as Balthasar van der Ast and Roelandt Savery.
Career and Legacy
Throughout a career spanning roughly three decades, Flegel refined his approach to the still-life genre. His output primarily consisted of table settings, which captured the material culture of the era. He also contributed to the field as a botanical illustrator. He passed his expertise to several students, including the flower painter Jacob Marrel and his own sons, Friedrich and Leonhard, who was likely the same person as Jacob. Flegel died in 1638 in Frankfurt, though he is buried in Berlin.
Fast facts
- Born: 1566, Olomouc
- Died: 1638, Frankfurt
- Buried: Berlin
- Occupations: Painter, botanical illustrator
- Nationality: German
- Primary medium: Watercolor and oil
- Career period: 1600–1630
- Known students: Friedrich Flegel, Leonhard Flegel, Jacob Marrel
Questions readers ask
Who was Georg Flegel's mentor?
He was a pupil and assistant to the painter and draughtsman Lucas van Valckenborch.
What subjects did Flegel focus on in his paintings?
His work centered on still-life compositions depicting tables set for meals, incorporating food, flowers, and occasional animals.
