Pierre Olivier Joseph Coomans (Belgian painter) 1816 - 1889
Pierre Olivier Joseph Coomans was one of the most popular of European painters with American collectors, and the sale of his works in his country alone made him a very rich man. He was a native of Brussels, and a pupil of Professor Hasselaere at Ghent, and of Nicaise de Keyser and Baron Wappers at the Antwerp Academy. From Antwerp he removed to Paris, and going with the French army to Algiers, where he resided several years, he later traveled extensively in Italy, Turkey, Greece, and the Crimea. At this time he painted historical and portrait subjects, but in 1857 he visited Italy, and became interested in the remains of ancient Pompeii, which were then being excavated. From this time forth he took up the line of subjects which made him famous. He had two daughters, both of whom possessed remarkable artistic gifts, and who, as his pupils, became well-known painters. Some years before his death he visited America, residing here for a prolonged period, and his daughters accompanied him and became favorites in the best New York society. Both Miss Heva Coomans and her sister Diana paint the same class of objects as their father, and very much in his manner and feeling of color. In "The Pompeiian Flower Girl" is presented an extremely characteristic example of one talented daughter of a famous parent. Joseph Coomans was the father of the painters Heva and Diana Coomans. * * * Heva Coomans (Belgian painter) 1860 – 1939 * * * Diana Coomans (Belgian painter) 1861 – 1952 Diana Coomans came from an artistic family. She was the daughter of Pierre Olivier Joseph Coomans. Joseph Coomans was one of the most popular of European painters with American collectors, and the sale of his works in this country alone made him a very rich man. Both his daughters, who were also his pupils, became well-known painters. Some years before his death he visited America, residing here for a prolonged period, and his daughters accompanied him and became favourites in the best New York society. Diana Coomans and her sister Heva paint the same class of objects as their father, and very much in his manner and feeling of colour.
