Severin Roesen

[1] Little is known of his early life and education, though he married Sophia Jacobina Lambricht (born January 22, 1824) on March 10, 1847 at Sankt Kastor Katholisch, Koblenz Stadt, Rheinland.

The Williamsport Sun and Banner reported in 1895, "His studio was much frequented by his friends, who would sit all day with this genial, well-read and generous companion, smoking his pipes and drinking his beer, which he was seldom without.

His pictures of nature's abundance found a ready market in the town's growing population (many of German descent) of prosperous merchants and lumbermen, who purchased them to adorn their newly built homes as well as taverns, restaurants, and hotels.

[2] While Roesen's paintings reveal a meticulous attention to detail in their precise arrangements and close brushwork, his subject matter, even down to specific motifs, did not change throughout his career.

Branches full of grapes arranged from lower left to upper right provide the composition with a graceful S-curve and subtly lead the viewer's eye over the entire display.