Jacob Denys

[2] He made the study trip to Italy which many of his fellow Flemish artists had become accustomed to make since the 16th century.

[2] His father had in fact preceded him to Italy as he left Flanders in 1655 and finally ended up working at the court of Parma from 1662 onwards.

[2] At this time another Flemish artist, Frans Geffels, had been appointed by the duke of Mantua as the prefetto delle fabbriche ('Prefect of the Buildings'), a position which combined the duties of official court painter, architect, surveyor of the Ducal construction program and engineer for theatrical stage design.

[2] Seven large history paintings by his hand are in the presbytery of the church of San Maurizio in Mantua, including an Apparition of Madonna and Child to Saints Margaret and Maurice and the Blessed Theatines.

Paintings in this genre typically show a flower or, less frequently, fruit garland around a devotional image or portrait.

In this work Daniel Seghers painted the still life elements while Denys added the figures of the Holy Family inside the cartouche.

[11] The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds a drawing which is a design for another garland painting representing Diana and Endymion in a central artouche.